Nancy’s handwriting is extremely hard to read, especially names.
Dec 1 – Rose McKinney Depew & Mattie Hewitt here this p.m. Rose lives in Montana. Came home to bury her father.[112]
Dec 2 – Painted on “Alone.”[113] Mother up and down as usual and Zama[114] putting in full time snoring.
Dec 3 – Ethan came brought feather bed. Lela went home with him. Met him cor Rose & K- Ave. She got 15.00 tonight.
Dec 4 – Etta & I went to Elks Mermaid[?] _____.
Dec 5 – Lela came home this a.m. train late. Another snow storm coming. Eda came home tonight. Claude better.
Dec 6 – Lela & I went over to see Eda. Got “Theatre car” home had to wait an hour. Lela caught cold.
Dec 7 – Mrs Wagner spent the day here, is making a black lace & grenadine over yellow. Letter from Claude.
Dec 8 – Snowing like fury. Went down town tried to see Miss Kirby but failed. Got slippers for H & C[115] also presents for the girls.
Dec 9 – Lela got her hat to day black velvet tips, blue ____ & buckles &c.[116] She went to Lous tonight took Jay & Leones picture to Lou and D. presents to the children & hat to Dr.
Dec 10 – Mother, Zama & I alone all day. Emma Harris here this eve also Mrs Quale.
Dec 11 – Eda here also Mrs Britten. Mrs Bennett & ___tie.
Dec 12 – Hannah came before day light. Cut my crepe dress skirt. Lela “got left” came home 3-45 p.m. Letter from H.A.
Dec 13 – Mrs Stuart Ogden[117] here to have dress fitted. H- went home 6 p.m. We called on Mary Cousins, Merena was there.
Dec 14 – Grant girls here this eve also Mrs Ford. Brought a letter for us to read from Florence Turney first they have got. Mailed at Queenstown.
Dec 15 – Mattie Hewitt spent the day. She made Xmas bags for the church. I crotched. Lela & I to Mr Smith this eve. Got quilting frames.
Dec 16 – (no entry)
Dec 17 – Saturday I went to Pas 6 p.m. Saw Miss Kirby paid .40 for cooking lessons. Ethan met me. We went to Mrs Blakes got some butter. Called to Lois.
Dec 18 – Ethan, Hannah, Gertrude & I spent evening with Mr & Mrs Berry[?] (Cora Riddler).[118]
Dec 19 – Came home on 2-18 train. Etta Tompkins came on same train.
Dec 20 – (no entry)
Dec 21 – Sewed all day. I baked and ironed this p.m. Etta Tompkins here this eve.
Dec 22 – I went down town. Called on Mrs Bartlett Crane. Got some Xmas things. Made cover for m__ter chair this eve.
Dec 23 – Dick Wells buried to day.[119]
Dec 24 – Worked hard all forenoon. Met Hannah at 2 p.m. train we went down town. Mrs Wagner gave 12 glass cups.
Dec 25 – Claude came on 4 a.m. train. Hannah & I went home[120] on 6 p.m. train.
Dec 26 – At Pas. Ma & I worked on Xmas presents all day. H-, E- & I went to Mr Crossfields to see Xmas tree. I got lots of nice presents.
Dec 27 – I came home 2 p.m. Found Laverne & Marian here.
Dec 28 – Laverne & Marian gone to Mrs ____ to stay all night. Claude & Eda to Mr Doyens to tea. Here this evening.
Dec 29 – Bessie Milham[121] here this afternoon. Geo[122] came to tea & spent the eve. Marian & Laverne back this p.m.
Dec 30 – D telephoned for Marian to come home her Mother is sick. LaVerne had teeth filled.
Dec 31 – Claude & LaVerne gone to Pas 7 a.m. Claude came back this p.m. Lela went to Pas on 6 p.m. train.
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[112] Napoleon McKinney. See November 4th entry
[113] While we don’t have any of Nancy’s original artwork, below is a photograph that Henry took of Nancy’s rendition of “Pharoah’s Horses” by John Herring which was a very popular print displayed in many homes throughout the early part of the 20th century
[114] Her dog; see below photo of Henry with Zama
[115] Henry and Claude
[116] Etc.
[117] Alida (Carson) Ogden. Her husband, Stuart Ogden, and Lizzie Brown (see footnote to May 16th entry) were siblings
[118] Olin & Cora (Ridler) Bera (see November 23rd entry)
[119] FindAGrave.com reveals that Richard W. Wells died December 19, 1898 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan
[120] Her childhood home; where her parents lived in Galesburg
[121] Bess (Nelson) Milham
[122] George Milham; he was Nancy’s paternal first cousin once removed
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 