Nancy’s handwriting is extremely hard to read, especially names.
Apr 1 – (no entry)
Apr 2 – Went down town. Bessie got a new jacket priced 5.50, gloves 1.00. Ordered a hat 2.75. Mr Denyens moved on Rose Place.
Apr 3 – I went to Claudes.
Apr 4 – Got a letter from Hannah. Lou not much better.
Apr 5 – I went to Burg on noon train. Mrs McKee came on evening train. She, Laverne, Mildred & I came home this evening.
Apr 6 – Laverne at gallery. Lou stood the trip well. Mrs McKee here this noon.
Apr 7 – Laverne & Leone went home on noon train. Leone been here 5 weeks.
Apr 8 – Got 51 yds muslin for sheets paid .5 a yd. Cut out sheets to day. Lou lots better. Sit up a good deal.
Apr 9 – Floyd[40] came this a.m. bought a wheel[41] (Cupid) paid 22.000. Claude surprised us by coming home, brought his wheel.
Apr 10 – Orchestra played. Easter Sunday. Claude and I went to church.
Apr 11 – Lela & Bess bought a wheel paid 33.000 name of wheel Volant.
Apr 12 – Floyd went home. Lois[42] & Ethan here. Mildred went home with them. America Bunt here. Geo Crawford had his leg amputated last week. Lou & Ds 16th wedding anniversary.
Apr 13 – Claude painted our gasoline stove. Bessie got her bicycle shoes. Lela got a new dress .75 a yard.
Apr 14 – Bess home to day. We fixed her bicycle suite & worked on Lelas dress. Charley Zinn drowned this p.m. in race at the mill. Age 5 years.[43]
Apr 15 – (no entry)
Apr 16 – Hannah came this p.m. brought Mildred. She & I went down town this eve got her a hat paid $4.00. Charley Z– buried this p.m.
Apr 17 – H- cut Lelas jacket. Thunderstorm this eve.
Apr 18 – Colder. Pa came on 10-47 a.m. train. I paid Dr McK– 5.00 for Lou, 2.00 for Ma. I went to Dr Fletchers. Saw Marena Caywood.
Apr 19 – Cold & rainy. Dr Fletcher brought my glasses. Pa went home on 6-55 p.m. train. D. sent 9 doz eggs & some butter.
Apr 20 – Cold & rainy. I began Lelas grey jacket to go with her suite. Whistles began blowing 10-40 a.m. to announce war declared between U.S. & Spain.
Apr 21 – Plesant. Scavengers cleaned our closet yesterday, cost $4.90. Bessie went to drawing class.
Apr 22 – Finished Lelas jacket. Got a letter from Ma. Claude to Will Pendletons this eve. He made pictures of McKinley. Lee and Uncle Sam to church.
Apr 23 – Mrs McKee here to see Lou.
Apr 24 – Claude went back to Chicago.
Apr 25 – Lois here to dinner. Dell[44] in Chicago. H.A. finished up with Packard. Will Smith and Monica Coe married.[45]
Apr 26 – Light guards left for Island Park at 10 a.m. Sad day for Kalamazoo.[46] Mrs W– & I had negatives taken. H.A. & I spent eve at Mr Wagners.
Apr 27 – Hank went to Chicago. D. came on his wheel, stayed all night. Lela to church cooking class supper.
Apr 28 – D. went home on 5 a.m. train. Bessie went to drawing class.
Apr 29 – Floyd Harris 12 years old.
Apr 30 – Bessie went to Burg on wheel left here about 7 a.m.
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[40] Her nephew, the son of her sister, Louese (Keith) Harris
[41] Believe this refers to a bicycle
[42] Her half-sister, Lois (Keith) Clark Skinner
[43] Michigan death records and FindAGrave.com show that Charles Elwood Zinn died on April 14, 1898 in Galesburg, Michigan and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, also in Galesburg
[44] Adelbert Skinner who was married to Nancy’s half-sister, Lois
[45] Michigan marriage records show that William Smith and Naomi Coe were married in Kalamazoo, Michigan on April 25, 1898. Perhaps Monica was a nickname or Nancy didn’t know her and was mistaken about her name
[46] Believe she is referring to the men who left to fight in the Spanish-American War
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 