May 15 – At Katharines she is a little Easier this morning. We stayed until 3 PM we came home. Nice day. Charley planted the East lot to day with the new patent planter.
May 16 – Had nice rain in the morning rained hard. Not much done. Cut some dry limbs in orchard.
May 17 – Mercury 84. Went down to Katharines in morning found her no better. She seemed to be failing just at night when we left for home.
May 18 – Ethan went to Kalamazoo. Sarah went down to Katharines stayed all day. Clara[73] brot her home just at night. Had a heavy shower. Ethan and Lou no come home. I finished sowing corn. Mrs. E. M. Clap buried to day.[74]
May 19 – Ethan and Lou came home. Hannah sewing girl came Lulu Forrester. Lou and children came.
May 20 – Hannah and girl up to Em Ralphs. I went down to Katharines in forenoon Katherine no better.
May 21 – Took Sarah down to Katharines in afternoon. She stayed all night. Katharine very sick.
May 22 – Went over to mill got my meal. Went down after Sarah just at night. Katharine no better. Cold wind very cold.
May 23 – Ethan went over to burg got my grist. Went down after Sarah just at night. Took Sarah down.
May 24 – Ethan went to Kalamazoo to see L. C. West and Hooker. Cold North west wind.
May 25 – Took two bushels wheat to mill. Took Sarah down to Katharines she stayed all night. Nancy here. Ina came over. Charley Town brot Eleven hundred hay. Katharine Died at seven oclock PM.[75]
May 26 – Mart[76] brot Sarah home. Mart and I went over to Burg to see Labbit[77] an the sexton. Rainy night.
May 27 – Rainy morning. Went to Funeral one oclock AM. Cleared of in afternoon. Katharine Buried to day.
May 28 – Mercury 40 at five Am. Had a big frost this morning the first we had here. Hoed corn & Potatoes in East garden. Stella and Mary Milham[78] and Emma Schuyler here in afternoon.
May 29 – Mercury 42 in morning some rainy. Ethan, Lou and children went over to burg. Cold wind.
May 30 – At home. Lou and children here. Cold, snowed and rained all day. Very rough day.
May 31 – Cold and windy. Lou went home to day. Went over to burg after some one to plaster. Found Sam Hartwell.
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[75] See obituary at https://lettersfromthe1860s.wordpress.com/2019/12/23/obituary-of-catherine-keith-bradley-lee
[76] Martin Milham, Catherine’s son-in-law
[77] Henry Labbitt, the undertaker
[78] The daughters of James & Ellen (Adams) Milham; James and Martin were half-brothers
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 