Aug 1 – Pleasant and muggy. Aunt Kate washed some this forenoon. Mart, Lucy, the children, Hannah and I came up to Dells this afternoon. I stayed and the rest went home. Henry went down to Pa,s to stay to night and get Ethan to do some work for him.
Aug 2 – Pleasant, rained real hard in the night last night. I got a letter from Hank and also one from Loyd for Hank. Jimmie is here a visiting Willie. Dell went to town this afternoon. Mr Henry Clinton[126] died last night. Henry came back to Dells to night.
Aug 3 – Pleasant but cold. I wrote to Hank. Ma and Pa went to Aunt Katies. Lois and Dell brought me home this morning. We went up to Aunt Harriets[127] and then over to the Bridg.
Aug 4 – Pleasant and some warmer. Ma washed. Mother came up here and worked on my carpet. She and Father were here to supper. She gave me calico for a skirt. Ethan hlped Father in his oats to day.
Aug 5 – Pleasant. Ethan worked for Father. Aunt Katie, Mart, Clarie and Georgie[128] visited here. We had boiled cabbage for the first time this year. Eugene came here this afternoon. He is keeping books for in Kalamazoo for the Novelity-Iron works. Stellie Milham stayed here to night.
Aug 6 – Pleasant, some warmer. Ma fixed Hannahs lawn[129] polonaise. I worked on my silk dress. Jimmie went to the Burg this morning and got Ma a darning needle. He forgot to go to the Post office. Sate, Lois and Willie called here to night. They had been up to Brady. Henry had a runaway yesterday, smashed up Edwins new buggy.
Aug 7 – Pleasant. Ethan worked for Dell. Ma and I went down to Fathers. He and Ethan went to the Burg. They got me a letter and paper from Hank. He sent me two pictures of the Galery. Rained some this afternoon. We had ripe tomatoes this morning.
Aug 8 – Warm. Father, Mother and Ethan went to Kalamazoo. Ethan got him a valice, paid $5.00. I commenced a letter to Hank.
Aug 9 – Warm. Ma washed some. Mother and Aunt Jule were here this afternoon. I finished my silk dress. Mother finished my big carpet. We commenced Ethans shirt.
Aug 10 – Pleasant, very worm. I wrote to Hank. Ethan wrote to Mary and Frank Tomlinson.[130]
Aug 11 – Very warm. Pleasant. Ethan worked for Dell. Henry came home with him. Pa went to the Burg this morn. Libbie Allen was here this afternoon. Ida Allen went to Edith. Libbie went up to Mr Jacsons to stay too night. Sis stayes with Libbie Keith to night.
Aug 12 – Pleasant. Pa went down to Aunt Katies. I went as far as Fathers and stayed till he came back. Aunt Jule gave me fringe for a stand cloth and I sewed it on while there. Father hired a man yesterdy for fifteen a month his name is Albert Weazner.
Aug 13 – Rained a little last night. There is a picknic up east of Mr Earls to day. Ma, Pa, Jimmie and I went down to Fathers to eat rost pig. Ma & Mother tied a comforter for me. I finished Mothers pillow cases for her. I got a letter from Hank, he sent me $5.00.
Aug 14 – Pleasant. Henry is here, has been here two or three days. Jimmie stays with Harry to night.
Aug 15 – Pleasant. The marsh up south is on fire. People have to fight it to save their houses. Ma washed. Sis went home with Stellie. Henry got me a letter from Hank. He sent me an order for $16.00.
Aug 16 – Pleasant. Mother was here this afternoon. Aunt Fleda[131] came to day. Dr Alfred[132] died to day. He was sixty three. I wrote to Hank. Lois is 33 years to day.
Aug 17 – Pleasant. Mart brought Hannah a Delpha[133] up here to day. Father, Mother and I went to the Dr funeral. It was a grand affair. The Masons came from Allegan, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek & Jackson. Elder Jingle preached the sermon.
Aug 18 – Pleasant. Will Plank and Carrie came here to day. Will is 21 to day. Henry is as here to day.
Aug 19 – Pleasant. Father and Mother came her this morning. Mother stayed here all day. She helped me pack. Pa and Father carried our good over to the cars. There was 970 weight. I went over to Idas with Pa to stay all night. I got me a postminie[?] and some lace and muslin, also two pie plates. I got a letter from Hank. I got the money Hank sent me to day.
Aug 20 – Very warm. Ida and I went down to the post office. I wrote a letter to Hank and sent him the bill of goods. I ordered a bonnet made to Mrs Morton. Henry and Lois came after me. Lois stayes here to night. Hannah and Carrie stays with Tamer, Sis and Delpha with Stellie.
Aug 21 – Hard rain and hail storm. Lois, Hannah, Ethan and I went up to Ediths this afternoon. Sis and Delpha was there.
Aug 22 – Pleasant. Hannah & I went home with Father this noon. They had rost pig for dinner. Ma washed to day. I got a letter from Hank. Mrs Streaters visited here this afternoon. Uncle Ed and Mrs Sherman stayed here to night. Carrie Plank was here.
Aug 23 – Pleasant, warm. I wrote to Hank. We went home this afternoon with F– when he went to work. Mrs Streator[134] and Nell[135] visited here this afternoon. Ethan got my bonnet.
Aug 24 – Pleasant. Ida Barber came over and stayed last night. Edith and Dell and Lois was here to day, also Fathers folks this evening.
Aug 25 – Looked like rain when I left home. Father brought me her to Kalamazoo this morning. Ethan and Hannah came with us. I got to Mr Planks half past three.
Aug 26 – Pleasant. I left GR at ten this forenoon, got to Muir half past 12. Hank and I took dinner at the Olmstead house. Our goods came about three this afternoon. We got the bedroom carpet down and the bed put up so we slept at home, also ate supper at home.
Aug 27 – Pleasant. Put down the big carpet to day and got partly settled. We wrote to our folks to day.
Aug 28 – Pleasant. We washed the wood work to day. I went down to the galery this afternoon.
Aug 29 – Pleasant. There was a smash up on this rail road this morning about six oclock. The freight engine Ontario run in to the passenger train, killed three. An other died in the after noon. Three or four more not expected to live. I helped at the hotel. Hank and I went and looked at the crops this evening.
Aug 30 – Pleasant. Mr Dickens came down after us to night. We went home with him. Mr Holbrook rod home with us.
Aug 31 – Rained last night and till about ten this morning. We all went over to Marys to day. Uncle George and Aunt Lizebeth[136] brought us home to night. We went over to the Iron bridge to night.
——-
[126] The Michigan Deaths & Burials Index at Ancestry.com shows that Henry Clinton, age 73, died August 1, 1873 in Charleston, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
[127] Wesley Keith’s wife, Harriet (Blakeslee) Keith
[128] Clara and George with the children of Mart & Lucy (Lee) Milham
[129] A fine thin linen cambric
[130] Frank Tomlinson, the son of George and Marion (Sprague) Tomlinson. Marion was Nancy’s first cousin. It is unclear who Mary was
[131] Alfleda (Starr) Keith, widow of Harvey Keith (Charles Luke Keith Jr.’s brother)
[132] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Dr. Melancthon W. Alfred, age 63, died August 16, 1873 in Galesburg, Michigan, and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery
[133] Marion Adelpha York, daughter of Joseph York and Helen Bradley (Catharine (Keith) Bradley Lee’s daughter)
[134] Laura Ann (Rawson) Streator, wife of Marius O. Streator
[135] 1870 census shows Nellie Stanford (age 27) living in the Marius O. Streator household and again in 1880 (age 37) where she is listed as “niece.” In the 1900 and 1920 census records, she is living with her cousin, Henry Streator. Her headstone shows she was the niece of Laura Rawson Streator
[136] Investigation continues as to their identity
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 