Scott County, Indiana
Genealogy
and History
Used with Permission
THE DIARY
SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1859
John give me a turkey for dinner pap and Mother Catherine John George and K eat dinner with us a beautiful pleasant day received a letter from [the?] Palmers
SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1859
Quite pleasant. James went to see William Foster. Marion and Maria Jane went to meeting James went to meeting all this afternoon I am quite lonesome, getting tired staying home aloneMONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1859
Still pleasant, sun shines--beautiful day. I sit by the fire knitting and rocking the cradle, thinking of many things and wonder if I will be here this time next year or not.TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1859
Another beautiful morning. Caravosso quit sick the rest are tolerby well. My teeth aching now and I wrote a letter to cousins Semantha and Milton Roseberry. James is building him a grainery the children is at school.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1859
Cold and cloudy, looks like for snow. The babys throat is bad, swelled, and quite sick, James has gone to Mr. Hoards to stable raising. Catherine comes in the evening. Mother comes out to see the baby and George, found them some better. At night, James went to a debate, come home with new ideas.THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1859
Up late, the rain falling fast. The children off to school. I �ind myself still at. the knitting and rocking and nursing. No time for play. James is cutting out his harness while it rains, George Finley and James Carvossa is better. Here comes the children from school. Wesley Spear is with them. Supper over now, then they have fun. Now we have prayers and all to bed.FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1859
Turning quite cold, my tooth aches very bad, we are all tolerable well this morning. Trying to get some work done, but cannot. The children home allmost [sic] froze very cold and getting colder we suffer cold tonight don't sleep much my bones ache with cold. I wish I had a warm house and room to work in.SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1859
Clear and cold. Not very well. We are trying to get warm. Marion and K. goes to John Peacocks to stay all night. I do not get much work done--the baby cries so much. I finished my new stockings. Not quite so cold. Say our prayers and go to bed.SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 1859
Up late this morning, the old clock wont go. Some snow, looks like for more. James goes to meeting. I stay at home at my old post rocking the cradle. Mother has gone to see Ira Day's wife who is very sick. Marion has come home. James gone back to meeting. I am still at home, don't got to meetings once in six months on an average. Freeman's birthday.MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1859
Cool pleasant sunshine. I went to see William Foster found him verry sick looks verry pale. Come home got dinner and knit the rest of the day. Their [sic] is some snow on the ground begins to look like thawing out. The baby verry [cross?]. George is better the rest of us is well.TUESDAY JANUARY 11, 1859
Some clouds, looks like for snow. James goes to Mr. Morrisons for corn. I wash hard all day. Am quite tired in the evening. Carvossa is very sick with swelled throat, set up till bed time, and rocked the baby.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1859
Quite cloudy. Looks like for snow or rain in the morning in the afternoon clear. James is gone to Paris. I went to mothers. John Peacock was their [sic] for his new stove. We all eat dinner on chicken then I come home done the evenings work. James go to the debate.THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1859
This morning is raining. Isaac comes for James to haul his corn from Mr. Jones--gets home at three oclock and still raining. I sew all day at James fine shirt, have the toothache, felt bad all day, quite ill natured.End of page 1
FRIDAY JANUARY 14, 1859
Very cloudy and still raining. James goes to mill, stays all day to get his grinding. Comes home late in the evening. William Foster is worse--not expected to live until morning. The wind commences to blow in the evening--getting quite cold. We are all tolerable well. I set up quite late to sew. James is in bed.SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, l859
Quite cool this morning. James goes to see William Foster. Finds him very sick, thinks he wont live long. Comes home--does up his work and goes back and stays all night with him. He does not talk much but says he is willing to die. He suffers a great deal. The ground freezing.SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 1859
A beautiful day and cold. James comes home--says William Foster is dying. I go to see him, find him dying. The house crowded. I stay till one o'clock and he died at two o'clock--after I left. Quite cloudy--looks like for snow. We are all well as usual.MONDAY, JANUARY 17, l859
Cold and cloudy. We go to the burying and leave the children at home. I did not go to the grave but hurried home, all most tired down and get supper aginst James and Marion gets home. Poor cousin William done with the troubles of this world.TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1859
Not raining cold clear Sun Shine. James hauls foder I am sewing Maria Jane goes to William's to stay all night, and gets dog bit. Catherine goes by to mother's to celebrate her birthday. Her and mother comes to stay till bed time with me. James has gone to the Chapel meeting. The moon shines bright. We smell coal burning.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1859
Clear and not verry cold. Sunshine. James is gon[e] to work for Cris to day. I am busy sewing. Maria Jane comes home. Charls, Harriet [and] Eliza Rosebery comes to mothers to day. They bring the word that cousin Semantha is ded. She died cristmas [sic] day. I went to mothers to see them. They all go to meeting at night. They are coming to see me to morrow. James stays late to the debate tonight. We are all well.THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, l859
Here they come and not all the morning work done. Looks quite much like for rain. Elizabeth Redman comes and Catherine, and mother, Harriet and Eliza Roseberry are here. Here comes Miller Morrison for a coat pattern. Now it rains some. Dinner over with, we had biled beef and turnips. The girls now goes to Aunt Caty Fosters. Maria Jane goes with them. James goes to Jonathan Everharts for my shoes, but does not get them.FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, l859
Still cloudy, not very cold. Have a notion to wash, but didn't. The baby is so cross and broke out with the chicken pox. Some cooler this evening. James is gone to the meeting to the Chapel. I sewed and knit some today--do not feel very well. I am writing by candle light tonight. Some of the children are in bed, but the baby is crying no more.End of page 2
SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, l859
This morning clear and very cold. I am mending clothes and knitting and rocking and trying to keep warm. James is hauling wood. Marion has gone to the post office. We are all well as common and feel very thankful for the blessings we receive, and love God with all our hearts.SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, l859
Very cold--the sky looks like bright diamonds. I go to the Chapel to meetings. James goes with me to the foot log then I go alone the rest of the way. (Five or six miles) Get there in time for preaching, hear a good sermon from Bro. Miller. Felt paid for my walk. The text was "Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."MONDAY JANUARY 24, 1859
Not quit [sic] so cold looks some like for snow. I wash hard all day have beef and turnips for dinner. Mother goes by going to Catherines with her butter in the evening. James and Marion goes to meeting to the chapple [sic]. I sit up late and sew the vest in bed.TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, l859
Very cloudy--the ground froze hard. I start for Ira Day's to see his sick wife. I undertake to walk but James feels sorry for me--comes after me with the wagon, then I take a rough ride over the frozen ground. We find Mr. Day washing and Mrs. Day very sick. She wont live long. I comforted her all that I could.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, l859
Beautiful day. Looks like summer. I go to see Sister Catherine Sampson. Have quite a pleasant visit. She baked black berry pies. We had a good dinner. The dog run the sheep. James come and helped me home. I gave him his supper and a KISS--then he went to meeting again to the chapel. I was quite lonesome at home.THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, l859
Very disagreeable, raining hard and quite muddy. I do not work much--it is so dark. James take the hide off the old cow. Isaac comes to grind the axe. I get dinner and bake some vinegar pies for variety. The children are gone to school. Mother has been gone a few days to see some of her girls. We are all well as common.FRIDAY JANUARY 28, 1859
This is a beautifull morning. The rain has ceased. Looks like making sugar. We are well the children at school. James hunts his sheep then goes to mothers for milk. I get dinner then sew and knit untill evening then we took a viset [sic] over to Dr. David Thompsons to stay till bed time found them well. Had a pleasant viset. The Thompsons come home just at supper time.SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, l859
Here is Saturday and we are here. Now we scrub and clean, bake loaves for the Sabbath. The Camelit meeting commences tonight. James and Marion have gone to meeting tonight. James went to Paris today, and bought him a coat. I received a letter from Nancy Petro. They are all well and I feel glad that we can say we are all well this evening. I have a tooth ache yet for company--sad company.End of page 3
SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 1859
Another beautiful Sabbath. Clear and cool. James and the baby and me goes to the reformers meeting at the school house. The house was crowded with hearers. We had some good singing, a sermon preached, part of it I liked very well. When he spoke of the death of our Savior and his sufferings, then the meeting was dismissed. We started for home. Stopped at Catherines. Stayed for dinner. We started for home. Mother stopped a few minutes to read the paper, then went home. James and Maria Jane have gone to meeting to night.MONDAY JANUARY 31, l859
We are all well. I went to mother's for a coat pattern, come home and cut Marion a coat and sewed some, then made preparations for going to meeting. I went and left the rest of my family at home. Heard a good sermon preached from "What shall we do to be saved." Part of which I liked and part I did not. The singing was very good, then I come home quite late. Found James nursing the baby by the fire.FEBRUARY l859
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, l859
Not very cold, looks like for snow. Catherine comes to help me sew on Marions coat. The reformers have their meeting to night--at Mr. Redmans. Three joins are to be baptised tomorrow at the Mayfield Mill at three o' clock. James did not go to their meeting-he has such a cold and does not feel well. I read and knit some, then go to bed with the head ache.WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, l859
I do not feel very well, my throat is sore--my neck and head aches. The clock strikes 10 and I am writing. The children are gone to school. James is hunting his sheep. The baby is asleep. The clouds are dark, now it rains. We feel thankful that we have a shelter from the storm and more thankful that God is our refuge and in time of trouble and shelter from all storms. James goes to the baptism, gets home late in the day. Baby is so sick--he does not go to the meeting. I wrote Nancy Petro a letter to-day.THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1859
Cool and cloudy, looks like for snow. I sew all day, don't feel very well. Aby is better, the rest of the family is well. James, Marion and K. goes to meeting to the school house. Three more joined, all to be emersed tomorrow. I cut Freeman a coat at night. Sewed some then cold and tired went to bed for that night.FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1859
Snowing and blowing-very cold. I am thinking of going to the baptism but sewed all day and went to meeting at night. [End of page 4] James and Maria Jane went to baptism and Marion too. The evening was quite cool, there was quite a stir. Some seemed well pleased. Ten confessed the Savior then they are ready for emersion on the morrow at the mills.SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, l859
Cold--very cold. James and I goes to the reformers meeting at 11 o'clock then go with the company to the baptism, had a cold rough walk, got home late in the evening,-tired and hungry. Supper over--James and Marion goes to Gilead to the Methodist meeting. I set up late.MONDAY FEBRUARY 7, 1859
Clear and cool. Commence washing. James cleans wheat. I hear of Elizabeth Watson's baptism. She is sick. I quit washing and go to see her. Brother Miller baptized her. It was a solemn time to some. Then I come home, quite tired. Supper over then James, Marion and John went to meeting to Gilead to hear Brother Miller preach. I went to bed.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, l859
James starts for town. Sells his wheat to Mr. Landor [Landon?] then he comes home in the evening. The rain falling fast. I finished my washing that was commenced--then supper over. I knit some then, the baby is very cross. The children are noisy. Mother comes awhile in the morning. Says pap is sick. He looks feeble and he works too hard.THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1859
Cool and cloudy, ground frozen. Mother comes and I go with her to see Elizabeth Watson. James goes to meeting-comes and helps me home in the evening, then goes back to meeting. I stay at home and bake blackberry pies. Marion is at Catherines. Maria J. has gone to the meeting to night. We are all in tolerable good health. We took dinner with sister Maria Young. They are all well. Christian was not at home. He was gone to Frankfort.FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1859
James and I went to meeting to Gilead, cold and cloudy. We took dinner at David Tompson's, then went to night meeting. Snowed some in the evening. Left the children at home. We came home and found them all asleep and we was glad.SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1859
Quite cool-still looks like snow. I try to clean the house and bake some more blackberry pies. James hauls wood, Marion, Maria J. and Freeman goes to meeting, then at night. Mother and I goes to meeting. Come home quite late. Tired--we are all.End of page 5
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1859
A beautiful morning. The sun shines bright. It makes me feel happy to see and feel the Goodness of God to such ungrateful people as we are. His love warms my soul as the sun does the earth. James, Marion, and Maria Jane went to Gilead to meeting. I. stayed with the children.MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1859
Warm and looks like for rain. James goes to Ira Day's. Marion goes to help K. and George cut stocks. Commences raining. I sew some and knit and nurse the baby. We are tolerable well. James gets to Jonathan Everharts in the evening.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1859
Still warm and raining. We are all tolerable well. James makes halters. I patch and mend clothes and work at my carpet rags. Very cloudy.WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1859
Very rainy. I make some hominy. James is right sick with bad cold. Still works at his bridles. I am patching and mending. We are thankful for the blessings we receive, this world has troubles.FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1859
Still cloudy and rainy and warm. I wash all day--am quite tired this evening. Marion goes with George and K. to the school house to meeting. James is better. I knit some and dry and starch some clothes by the fire.MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1859
A beautiful morning. I am 31 years old to day. We have roasted goose and blackberry pies for dinner. Mother is here. James cmes in time for dinner. Isaac raised his stable to day. The sun shines bright.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1859
Another beautiful morning. I go to mother's with the children to take dinner on goose. George's birthday. James stays at home and husks corn. We are all well. The sun shines bright. The Methodists and Reformers are holding meetings at Frankfort. John goes to Lexington. When anyone looks at my writing and it does not please them please pass it on with out remarks as I expect to tell the truth always and reader, you will find some course writing on this page for my pen is bad, the paper thin. When you find mistakes, please correct them if you can.SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1859
A beautiful day. Mrs. Thompson comes and we had roasted chicken for dinner. James finishes hauling. I sewed some at night. We had a house full of little folks at night.End of page 6
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, l859
Cloudy, looks like rain. James finishes cleaning his wheat Our "Julia" mare is very sick, comes nigh dying. Mother comes by. Mr. Everhart stops awhile. I sew and knit.some.MARCH 1859
THURSDAY MARCH 3, l859
A curious smoky morning, the wind blows like blowing everything away. Mr. Wiggins comes and gets some wheat. James builds at our house. Mrs. T and M. comes. I go with them to mothers for onion sets. Cool.FRIDAY MARCH 4, 1859
The wind still is blowing hard. We are all complaining of sore throat. Marion has the mumps. Mother goes to Christians and I work at my rags.. James builds at our house.SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1859
What a beautiful spring time, the sun shines warm, the skies are clear as diamonds. I went to Mothers a few minutes, then come home and done a hard days work. The babe cries all the time, is quite sick..James hauls straw then goes to meeting at night.SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 1859
A beautiful day. Mother, Margaret, John Peacock and James goes to meeting at the school house. The babe is too sick for me to go. Looks like for rain this evening. James goes to meeting at night.I stay at home with the children, tell them some interesting stories and read in the Pilgrim's Progress.MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1859
A nice spring morning. I go to work in the garden until noon. The two Mrs. Sweets comes for meeting house money, they stay for dinner, then it commences to rain at noon. I go to meeting at night with mother and K. and heard a powerful sermon not to be forgotten soon.WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1859
Another beautiful day. Mother and Maria Jane goes to meeting in the fore noon. James goes to mill in the afternoon. I go with him to see Mr. Isaac Mayfield emerced--quite a congregation assembled at his house, then marched down to the water with singing. Mr. Balser had the ministers coat on and the minister had Mr. Balser's coat on. All went off pleasantly. Mr. Redman looked through the fence. Betsy H. rode home behind old man Griffith. I sowed some lettuce.End of page 7
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1859
A beautiful morning. I am crazy with the tooth ache. The reformers meeting is still on the move. Mother comes by, going to Williams, then to meeting at 2 o'clock. Grandmother Blaser joins to day-quite a rejoicing. Mother comes by in the evening. Begins to look like rain. My throat is very sore. The rest of my family is well. I am quite ill natured with the tooth ache. Mr. Parsons house burnt last night.FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1859
Not very well. Here comes pap and mother in the wagon going to mill and mother to meeting. Looks very much like rain. Grandmother Balser is to be emerced to day. I hope she will grow better as she grows older. I do not work very hard. I am not very well. We move.SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 1859
The Lord has still shared our lives to see another Sabbath mornin: for which we are thankful. We have many temptations to encounter hut the Lord is our help. If we ask, we shall not be denied. Mother, Isaac, Catherine and the children come in the evening to stay awhile. Some stray horses comes here to day. Old Selim is with them.MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1859
Warm and raining. We are a1l enjoying tolerable good health at noon begins to look like clear weather. James goes to mothers with me for fruit trees and garden roots. Mrs. Harris was there for onions. We come home. Mr. Morris comes for his horses in the evening.TUESDAY, MARCH 15, l859
Some cooler and quite cloudy. I work hard at my carpet rags all day. James goes to Christians to help raise them. On to John Jays to h�1p roll logs then home. Mother comes out awhile in the evening, sends some cotton yarn to Catherine with Marion and Freeman. I am not very well.WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1859
A delightful day. I commence cleaning the house. Sister Hoard comes. We fill our straw beds. James thrashed out his oats. I am all out of humor and will be while the black flour lasts for we have a barrel of it. In the evening gather the things in the house for it begins to look like for rain.THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1859
Looks like rain. I commence washing, wash hard all day. Then go to Catherines in the evening. The rain falling fast. [End of page 8] James finishes his oats. We all feel tolerable well, considering the hard times and having to eat black bread. We try to be cheerful as we can.FRIDAY, MARCH l8, l859
In the morning it thundered and rained hard. Turned cold at two o'clock, commenced snowing, snowing thick and fast. The peach trees are all most out in bloom, the rose bushes and some other young bushes are putting out leaves. They look sad, loaded with snow, bending almost ready to break. We are in tolerable health.SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1859
Dreary and cold and cloudy, but towards noon the clouds begin to break away. The sun begins to show its brightness. The plants are almost frozen with snow, but the snow leaves us fast. The water is streaming off the houses, so it is when the Lord hides his brightness from our poor souls-we seem almost froze then comes his brightness, warms our souls, makes us feel happy, then the snow heart begins to melt, the tears begin to flow, then our hearts rejoice.SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 1859
I feel to rejoice this blessed Sabbath morning for the goodness the Lord has bestowed on us through another week, but before noon I am tempted to think my lot a hard one. Cannot go to meeting. James goes to the reformers meeting then to class meeting--comes home just as if he had been at a feast of fat things there. I must get dinner for it is 2 o'clock. James and I take a walk in the evening up to J.S. and W.H.-found the folks well, come home.MONDAY, MARCH 2l, l859
We are all well, Mother comes by. I hang my clothes to dry then scrub my house then go over to Mr. Hoards. He is quite sick. James sows oats then comes over in the evening to help me home with the babe and a load of the cherry trees. I am baking some black bread.TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1859
Quite pleasant this morning. I take some hasty steps over to see Aunt Catherine Foster. She is very sick. I do for her what I can-comfort her then come home-quite tired. Mother comes out a few minutes. I make a mouth wash for aunty Foster, send it over with Maria Jane and Marion in the evening. I sew some and wash and cook-looking for visitors tomorrow.End of page 9
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1859
This is lovey's birthday--36 years have gone. He was a cross little pet. - Today he must have SOme chicken cooked to please him. He is building fence. Of course, we will try to please him. It is a beautiful day. Dinner most ready. Here comes the company I am looking for Mrs. Tobias and Mrs. Maria Young and mother. We have a good time-only the babies are very cross. We try to nurse them.THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1859
Now I am going visiting this beautiful morning. James, what says you to that. Oh, don't go to day Sarah, stay at home with me. No Sir-e-e-e-go I must and you must go with me to the creek if you can spare a few minutes time off. I go to Mrs. Phillips to day--found them tolerable well. We had a pleasant conversation about the meetings at Mt. Carmel. The wind blows hard all day. We had a smoky time. A pedlar comes by and Mrs. P. buys some oil cloth. James comes and helps me home.FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1859
Cold, looks like for snow. Up quite late, the rats disturbed our rest last night. Mother comes by early in the morning going to Catherines to start the carpet to weaving. I feel like work some of the times then at other times I do not.. I sew all dav in the evening three [?] Mrs. Morrisons comes to see Maria Jane. I find her with quite a swelled throat, but the visit passed off pleasantly. Supper over then they bid good night and off they go. The peach trees are in bloom, the grass growing fast, oh how thankful we should be for all the blessings we receive. Lord help thy beleiving children.SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859
Quite cool. Mr. Tompson calls to see Mr. Bovard. He is gone to see Mr. Morrisons. I go to mothers for some cherry trees. NC and M.J. goes with me to carry them home. We get 1 doz. of trees. Come James at home. I get dinner then take my knitting and start over to Mrs. Griffiths to get some garden seeds. Mr. Balser did not get any farther. Come home, I baked some black loaves of bread. James builds fence. Maria Jane and Freeman throat is quite sore. The little colt is here this morning.SUNDAY MARCH 27, 1859
Here is another lovely Sabbath morning. We do not get up early as we should do for which I feel ashamed. Looks like.for rain. James goes to the Chapel to meeting. I stay at home thinking to go to Gilead in the afternoon but not so. Baby too sick to take so I have to stay. Truly my lot is a hard one. Mr. John P. was here for dinner then went to Gilead to meeting with James and Marion.End page 10
I do not feel that degree of comfort in my soul that I have in days past and gone, I am sorry.
MONDAY, MARCH 28, l859
This Monday morning finds us well. Warm south winds--look like rain. Do not get much work done. James goes to Isaac Sampsons for sweet potatoes. We take out our Meshannic potatoes and fix our garden plowing. At night it rains and storms. James goes to Gilead in the evening. I sew and hook lace. The baby is cross. Freeman is sick.WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1859
I commence washing, altogether out of humor, scolding every few minutes. Nothing seems to be right but I find I am too impatient. I cannot turn the world so I wash on trying to be content with [what] I have. James plows the garden. Catherine comes in the afternoon. I fix supper--last of the black flour.THURSDAY, MARCH 31, l859
Last night James helped a widow, Deputy, doctor her cow that was down for want of food. I set up until they came-1 o'clock at night. Wesley Spear and Billy Reed and Marion Mc. B.. helped. Mrs. hoard comes by I go with them to mothers. We had a good visit. James goes to Mr. Redmans to a rolling of logs. In the evening we send for some pine trees to Christians Youngs. Freemsn is better-almost well. The rest are tolerable well. When you read this-mind your stops and read slow and sure.