Scott County, Indiana
Genealogy
and History
Used with Permission
[1862 is missing--we skip to 1863. Sarah has had no more babies but the family has moved nearby to a new house.]
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1863 [The 9th was a Friday.]
Snowing this morning, now the sun shines, the snow melts fast. We are all well but babe, he has a bad cold. I sew Freeman's coat and jacket. Three weeks ago to day since we moved in our new house. James goes to Austin to day for the dai1y paper.SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 1863
Some cloudy. I go to mother's left babe home with James. Christian and Maria was there, William comes, John Butts, his mother, wife and children was there. Oh, how he spluttered speech, talk felt large as a bull trying to horn but his horns too short so he licked his tongue, being his teeth short.THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1863
Mother was to have a turkey roast to day but _____ could not come so the roast was put off. The snow is two feet deep, still snowing, all day. I go to mother's, sew for her at George's shirt. James comes, helps me home. I wade knee deep. Oh the poor sheep and cattle--how cold. The creek shall be high.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1863
Cloudy and cool. We make our sausage and rendered our lard. Catherine comes, gets some meat, babe crying, right sick. James complains, not well. 1 complain too but that's nothing new.FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1863
I washed a large washing then scrub both houses. Babe right sick. I have a very sore throat. James husks corn awhile, goes to the wood chopping then comes home, hauls in what he had husked, Marion wants to go to the infair dinner at Alexander Mayfield's but don't go. Getting some warmer, rains at night.MONDAY JANUARY 26, 1863
Rains all day to day. James cleans out the stables. I sew, all are well but babe, it is some better. Catherine goes by to mother's, then they both come by and stop awhile. I cut out my bonnet. George Young is sick. Another sesech meeting at the school house. James does not go.FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1863
Cloudy, cold windy day. Marion goes to help chop wood at Chris'. James makes an ax handle--he is some better. Mother was out here last night awhile. Here she comes going to Cris'. I cannot go--too cold to take out babe. I sew at James coat. -End of page 61
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 1863
Not so cold to today, but cloudy. I finish James coat and make Jimmy a new pair of hreeches. Catherine comes by and I go with her to Mother's for milk. K. comes, stayed until after night. Marion vorked for Cris to day, he went with John to the sesech meeting last night, they think they are very smart.MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1863
Very cold, the ground frozen hard. James and Marion gathers corn. Joseph Belch comes for James to go to Frankfort to a soldier burying to morrow. Mother comes awhile. James goes over to Morrisons. I go to Morrisons, stay until bed time. James and Andrew goes to the school house to a sesech meeting.TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 1863
We got home last night at 12 o'clock. Snowing very hard, quite cold this morning. James goes to Frankfort to the burying. Too cold to work. Maria Jane is sick. John comes awhile, mother went to ____ to see the dead soldier. Catherine comes for the spools.WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 1863
Oh very cold. We are all tolerable well but Maria Jane. James and Marion tries to husk corn but too cold then they chop wood. Maria Jane went to school to day, then comes home sick at noon with her fever and sore throat. Cloudy looks like snow. This is Maria Jane's birthday, she is 14. Terrible exciting times. Fighting, brawling, scowling, sneering, fearing and crying. War, war, war, war, war, war.THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5, 1863
Oh come and see, oh to the window, get up boys, the snow is peppering down. Fix the sleigh--lets have a ride. 8 inches deep and more a failing, Hurrah!!! Come to a warm breakfast. Maria Jane some better. I knit some. James and. Marion cuts and hauls wood. John comes by and gets Marion to go to Jac. Tobias to a dance.MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1863
This is Olivers birthday. He would have been 18 to day but he is not with us to share our troubles, but is at rest. Warm this morning. I go over to Mrs. Griffith's a few minutes. Isaac goes by, mother and I warp her jeans for her. Catherine comes. James, Andy Miller comes, they have been coon hunting, catched one. Cloudy and muddy. Marion goes to work for William.End of page 62
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1863
The ground frozen this morning. I do a very big washing of clothes, mother comes awhile. James goes, cuts a coon tree then builds me an ash hopper. I have to make soap. Very muddy, the sun shines then goes under a cloud. Mary and Andrew Morrison comes and stays till bed time. The children comes home from school. James goes to mother's for milk. Maria Jane better.WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1863
I commence making soap this morning. Aby right sick with sore throat and head ache. Maria Jane goes to school to day. Rainy and still raining at 12 o 'clock. I am writing, babe crying, James singing, the soap boiling, and Jimmy and Charley playing top. Aby very sick. James goes after the children at school. Still raining.THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1863
Raining very hard at daybreak this morning. James takes Maria Jane to school this morning. Two more lambs, now there is 5 lambs. I am boiling soap and writing. Very foggy and misty rain. James goes to Morrisons to make a flax break.FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1863
I have the head ache this morning but I boil soap. Get a good kettle of soap. I spin tow. James goes back to Morrisons to finish the break. My throat is very sore. I have a chill and hot fever. George is sick.SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1863
I am some better. What a beautiful Sabbath day. Mother goes by to Christian' s. Catherine comes, brings Maria Jane a valentine. My throat very sore, and getting worse.MONDAY FEBRUARY 16, 1863
Maria Jane goes to sehool. I am right sick. Maria Jane goes by to Christian' s. Charly Griffith comes. I dry some flax by the fire, then James breaks some. I hackle it out. Very muddy, warm sun, cool wind. I am very sick. I have another chill.THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1863
Cloudy and warm. I am some better, I set up all day and spin some tow. Marion and John goes by to mother's to cut wood and eat roasted turkey. James goes to mill then cuts some wood. Marion and Kay goes to the Chapel to meeting. Oh how the wind blows at night. Maria Jane and Aby went to mother's.End of page 63
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1863
James had to go to mother's for Aby and Maria Jane last night, then mended Jimmy's boots this morning. He goes to cut wood for Ethe Peacock. Mother and Margy comes, stays all day, cool wind warm sun. Little Jimmy gets very sick has a fit at noon and one at night at 10 o'clock. James and I set most all night with him. I feel very tired this evening. Cherry has a young calf.TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1863
This is another beautiful day. James swingles out the flax. 60 handfulls. I hackle it--5 and three of tow. I spin. Maria Jane washed then went to school. Getting cloudy this evening. The boys boils sugar water. Babe very cross, cried all the time.FRIDAY FEBRUARY 27, 1863
Maria spins some flax, then goes to school. I stir off 17 pounds of sugar. James takes up the flax. He went to Jonathans this morning with corn--8 bushels--45c a bushel. Catherine comes to twist some thread. I am not well. Marion some better.THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1863
Cloudy, looks like snow. James and Freeman is husking corn. Marion has tugged off to school with Maria Jane. Here comes Mr. Terrill and boy, get a lamb to pet. Mr. Griffith comes this morning before we was up to get James to help gather corn. Oh how 1ate we sleep. The children cries so much at night and there is so much work to do. Babe so cross and sick. So much war trouble. I am writing then I am going to spin flax to day.SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1863
This morning I try to get some work done but cannot get much done. Here comes mother, here comes Lucy and Johnny Ternill. Oh what trouble I do have. Here comes Andy and Ivan. James has gone to get some bark to bottom some chairs. I spin Marion and Maria Jane goes to William's.FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1863
Mother comes to mind the babe until I wash. James breaks flax. We have 40 weight ready to hackel. Maria Jane better, babe very cross. I wash, then scrub. Am very tired at night. Not much war news of importance. The talk is more men to be drafted. Cotton yarn--55c per dozen. These are times to try mens souls and women too.End of page 64
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1863
Cool pleasant morning. My little Charlie L. took sick last night, crazy hot fever. James goes to Lexington to pay his tax. Charly has a fit I send for Mary Morrison to come. Mother comes awhile, Catherine goes by, stops. Andy comes, Marion goes to mill then to chapel to meeting.MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1863
This is another beautiful day. James and boys gather corn. I go to Mrs. Griffith's take home her wash board, see her toul [tulle?] lining. She was weaving. I come home and hackle flax and get dinner. Charly better, Maria Jane some better. James fixes for town tomorrow.THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1863
Rains all day, thunders, mother comes awhile. Charly right sick, lame arm. Marion goes to Balsers to see if the doctor is there to come down here. I hackle flax, no war news of importance. The Butternuts is getting very saucy in Indiana and Ohio.FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1863
I finish hackling. Think of washing but do not. I have 16 pounds of hackled flax. We are looking for Aunt Julia Roseberry. Mother comes awhile. Still raining. James gone tonight. Charly very sick--hot fever.SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1863
Cloudy, James goes to cutting wood. I go over to Mary Morrison for some garden seeds, get our cotton seeds. James goes to Wooster to a muster. I am out of humor. When I come home I scrub the floors. Clears off, warm sun, the birds are singing. Little Charly is very sick.MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1863
Beautiful day. James and boys hauls wood. Charly is right sick. Maria Jane goes around with her school article. I go to Gilead at night to meeting. The moon shines bright. We had a good meeting. The boys found a bott1e. Ruth Young is sick with eyerciplas.TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1863
Oh, dear what a blustery day. James goes to Frankfort for medicine then goes to Jones then to Austin for the paper. Mary Morrison comes awhile. The doctor calls to see Charly. Maria Jane went to meeting. Stayed all night with Morrison's. James gets home late and cold. I spin some flax--can't get any work done. So much trouble. Marion McKinley starts to work for James Spear. Four months--commence tomorrow.End of page 65