March 14-18, 1889 In Charleston, IL

March 1889

14.  Thursday.  6 AM. Ther.  48.  68.  60.  =  58 2/3
Fair start for timber at 8.30 after buying some more wire.  Got there about 11 AM.  R. & S. clearing other boys make fence.   Warren hurt finger and did not work PM.  Bob about sick and not rushing very much.    Gobed 9 PM


15.  Friday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  57.  73.  57. = 62 1/3
Mostly clear S. wind.  Bob hauls out lumber in morning.  Warren hauls load of slats to town.  Enoch Johnson began at noon working with fence gang.  Fire got out about noon and we had warm work to stop it.  R & S clearing doing good job making wood.  Warren brought down 3 reels of wire and some other things  I start home about 4.30 P.M. leaving for all hands to cut brush tomorrow.  Got home  7.30  found Tue feeling much worse and all in bed but Father.  The cow came home herself today.  Pleasant day and  S.  wind, brisk.    Roads dry all the way.  Gobed 8.30


16.  Saturday. 6 AM.  54.  72.  50.  = 58 2/3
Fair - smokey.  Tue not feeling so well this AM.  Phebe coughed and vomited in the night and is about sick in the morning.  Sent for Patton who prescribed for both.  Meddy made Phebe sick all day.  I made a rake to use in clearing.  Oil and clean on buggy P.M.  Grows colder toward night.  Went up town  about dark to get some meat &c.   Mrs. Davis over after dark.  Warren Decker hauls Taggart 1/2 cd wood.  Paid John Kink 6.00 on ties.  Uncle John in to dinner.  Hen has gone again taking a good horse, they found the horse however say he will let us have all on a post office checking as soon as we get a place for them.  Paid Riley and Steve Decker up in full.  Plant in hot bed some yellow and red tomatoes.  Tue looking better at night.  Gobed 9 PM.


17.  Sunday.  6 AM.  Ther.  39.  64.  48.  =  50 1/3
Foggy, clears off before noon.  Tue feels badly yet but appetite some better.  Made another rake for use in brush.  finish getting buggy for trip tomorrow.  Drove with girls down to Kickapoo for some elm bark for Tue.  Tue feeling badly all day.  Kate Myers was over toward night.  Gobed 8:45 PM  N.E. wind toward night.


18.  Monday.  Monday.  6 AM  Ther.  46.  53.  45.  =  48
Cloudy, wind about E.  Began to sprinkle  about 6.30  AM.  Tue complains of feeling some better this morning.  Baby had some fever all night.  Rain most of AM. heavy for an hour or two,  thunder afternoon.  Tell Bill Hill  to order me  2 bush orchard grass seed @ 1.40.  Got some old cloth over store for hot bed.  Bought some pea and radish seed  at Ben Mitchell's.  Pay Sam Ray 15.00 which leaves 83.85 still due.  Cloudy all day.  Baby was sick all day  having light fever.  Tue good deal better but still bad cough.   Gobed 9 PM.  Wind N.E.

March 18, 1913 and 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

1913

18.  Tuesday 6 AM.  Ther.  38.  64.  50.  = 50 2/3

Clear S.3.  Helen Hildreth called a while AM on her way to the Normal.  Tue attended the Rankin Funeral P.M. with Mrs. Brooks.  At night she went with Mrs. Curd to concert at Normal.  I hitched up about noon and after Ray got shores done He went with me up town.  Pay A.G. Frommel a/c to date 12.30 check.  Will Campbell 35 cts cash.  Got some eggs Helen left at IBs.  went to P.O. no mail.  Drove out far as Huffamns Ray going.  Meet Harman going home.  He had bought a pump at Olivers my a/c.  I did not tell him to.  Clear day with high southwind.  Was surprised to find the roads dry most of the way.  He supposed the mud deep.  Tue got home 10 oclock.  Gobed 10.

1888

18.  Sunday.  6.30 AM.  Ther.  52.  64.  55.

Clear, light white frost.  Went to s(?) Rays in morning to look at house to ride but did not see one I would like to try.  Measure up wood on yard.  there is just about  8 1/2  cords.  Gueney wants half a cord tomorrow morning.  This is about the first spring day we have had.  Mostly  clear with light south wind.  The ground  is frozen pretty solid on N. side of house.  Kates Myers and Davis over P.M.  9.30 ~~ 

January 3, 1888 in Charleston, IL

3.  Tuesday,  6,15  AM.  Ther  14.  30.  30.
About clear.  Mostly clear day with South wind.  Tue  intended to go over to Kate Myers to dinner but Hat came so she didn't go.  I got too much coffee for dinner making me feel bad rest of the day.  Paid  Levi Durney $1.00 for  Clem Marglin being the last of the old tie job.  The baby is so cross that Tue gives up weaning her for a while.  Bought a large cornpopper (sic) and some pop corn at Barters.  Chilly day.  The weather is dry and pleasant, considerable snow and ice on the ground in patches.  Roads wear down and will be good in a few days.  Go bed 10 PM.

December 4, 1912 & 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

1912

4, Wednesday.  7 A.M.  Ther.  40.  54.  50.  = 51 1/3

Fog.  Light cloudy.  A.M. out of feed except our bale hay.  I get start Loxa 10.30 A.M.  They are still putting crushed rock on north road at Carral bridge.  Mare got scared at two squirrels near Jo Reat's place and tried to run away.  I drove through Loxa but saw nobody but Ora.  Went on to west side.  Look over Sexton line.  Pick up more crab apples near W. line.  Drove into  and north on NW 40.  Harman spotted me soon  as I arrived.  We drive along NW branch.  He wants to put in some tile there on own hock.  We return to B.C. shed and from there over to  Harmans meeting Jimmy Miller.  Harman loads up sack corn for me and I start home about 3 P.M.  Preston wants to give up his claims on place and take a farm of Hardin.  Jack went eating  much of  lunch I got home 4.30 P.M.  Alfred  choring . took out ashes.  Roads moist, little mud.  Part cloudy light easterly winds.  I slept after in "den" until after 10 light rain say 9 P.M. .05.  Gobed 10.30

1887

4.  Sunday.  7 A.M.  Ther.  54.  42.  30.

Mostly clear wind S.W. getting  W or NW.  People call  good deal.  Bert and Rene* came about noon.  Did not have time to eat  much dinner.  The church was well filled and there were a good many out at the graveyard.  Hat says H.G**. is sick and he did not go out.  Kate Myers and Kate Perrill stayed with our children.  The baby (Marie)*** was very bad for awhile at night and cried constantly till 8 P.M.  John Snider^ stopped here a little while on way home.  Gobed 9 P.M.

* Fan and Tue's brother and wife.

**Charles' brother.

***(Marie)  This appears to have been added many years later.  Charles has yet to refer to Marie by her name.  He calls her baby.

^ John Snider is Fan's husband.

December 3,1912 & 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

1912

3.  Tuesday. 6.30 AM Ther.  28.  50.  46. = 41 1/3
Clear.  S. 2.  Heavy hoar frost.  Ice 3/8 in.  Walter Smith  & Company came early so that it is about as good as it was before they worked on it.  Think  it about worn out in places.  the house was very uncomfortable this morning with no fire, got a good one by  10 A.M.  Tue got letter from Buddy A.M.  was well.  Tue   getting for some church doings which occur soon.  Hitch up about noon deposit B.C. check 321.32 at 2nd.  The check was defective being  10.00 too much on the lower line.  Drive out far as Watsons toward night.  Met Eastin with Fitz.  Is now chopping ~~  The roads are some muddy - not deep.  They are still hauling crushed onto south road.  Have a light application for about half mile E. of Shannon's.  Return S. road.  Jack went.  He has swelled jaw.  Part cloudy.  Light southerly winds.  Read Borcacico at night.  Go bed 10.30~

1887

3.  Saturday.  6 A.M.  Ther.  44.  54. 55.

Cloudy and raining frost.  Pete Snider came about 5 AM for family for Fan.  Patton stopped about 8 A.M. saying Fan couldn't live wanted to see her father  Start out to Uncle John's in heavy rain, about 8.30  He came in with us but Fan was dead when we got back Uncle John and Tue went down there afternoon getting back before night.  The funeral will be tomorrow 2 P.M.  Christian Church.  Phebe had but slight croup tonight and hope she is over  with it.  Guiney paid me in full for wood $3.00.  Rain occasionally during day very heavy in forenoon, heavy at night.  Baby cried till midnight.  Kate Myer had been taking care of her today.  11 P.M. 

*Personal note- this must have been a very difficult day for my family.  Fan lived all the way out by, what is now, Lake Charleston.  That would have been a difficult ride in a buggy and heavy rain.  Tue and Charles had two sick kids at home.  My mother has always told me that babies often died in their first two years of life, so the baby being sick must have worried them a great deal.  Fan had three small children that would need cared for.   Though this happened many years ago, my heart aches for all of them.  CMS

December 2, 1912 & 1887

1912

2.  Monday.  6.30 AM.  Ther.  44.  42.  30. = 38. 2/3

Mostly  cloudy W. 6.  Cottingham's man came to put in new grate and finds it a misfit and one piece lacking.  It didnot work well and they will return in morn to remedy it if possible.  Mostly cloudy with high  wind W to NW diminishing late P.M.  Clear at night ~~  Tue got  tickets to show at Opera House at night and took Mrs. Brooks.  Alfred came late P.M. and tinkered round a while.  I did not hitch up.  I read at night with good fire  in grate went to bed before Tue got home.  Gobed. 10.  I did not hitch up nor visit town.

This is a link to a furnace of the time.  I suppose theirs was similar.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh382yeKUmFnO_Nusi-JSFVEa39J-pWLdPxdd5TdXCiVKnYBBBxcvp-IjEImP8BOJJSH_jBXa95BQy3KmJ3k3FBv_r-kzSlfRP2-auGFWbsFj-pIiPdl3CcchfBeNtpGNsqflZmtEKXbX0/s1600/14+Furnace+Room_1912.jpg

1887

2. Friday.  6 A.M.  Ther.  37.  40.  42.

Cloudy and raining lightly.  Fresh S.E. wind.  Was up with Phebe good deal in night.  Baby not well this morning.  C.G.(him) still has slight cold in throat.  Went over to (Dr.) Patton's forenoon says Fan* very bad.  Nobody there.  Tue went down to see Mrs. Nott.  Couldn't go Mrs. Dowling said she would go. I took her down after dinner.  Found Fan very low.  Saw Dr. at night after he had been there.  Didn't  give any encouragement.  Mrs. Davis and Kate Myers were over at night.  Doctor Phebe with fatbacon &c  at night and she was not so bad as usual.  Misty damp.  P.M. roads pretty bad.  gobed 10 P.M.

*Fan is Tue's younger sister.  Fan has three children and had a stillbirth in November 22.  She is 27 years old.

November 10 - 12, 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

10.  Thursday, 5.30  AM  Ther.  37.  48.  47.
Cloudy Wind N.  Caught another large rat which is the third lately.  Spotted cat taken away last week came back a day or two ago.  J.M. Eastin has sold his store room up town to Jay Johnston and will pay note.  I have on him.  Pay up Mike Miller for gasoline stove &c.  Air raw and chilly not so bad  toward night.  Stay at apple store all day but don't do very much.  Good many talking of buying .  Buy buckwheat at Wrights at night.  Mostly cloudy day .  Clear at night.  Go bed.  8.30 - Mrs. Wentz gets bush  Applies on GrS.

11. Friday, 5.30 AM  Ther.  34.  51.  37.
Clear.  The smoke so thick for a few days has about gone.  Wind N.E.  Alarm of fire Mrs. Atwells  This is the day for  the Anarchist hanging in Chicago.*  Tue was up town toward night and paid up  Mullen sisters $12.90.  Kate Myers was over at night.  Phebe cried with toothache good deal early in night.  Gobed 10.45 P.M.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_affair

12.  Saturday.  6.15 AM  Ther.  27.  51.  45.
Clear, wind N.E.  Pleasant day chilly.  Uncle John was in town.  Learn that over tenant Mr. Young is talking of moving to Terre Haute.  If  he does will probably owe Tue about $18.00.  Comer and Gary were up P.M.  Buy big piece of Ham at Masons which make  (?) sausage at night Phebe still has bad toothache.  Gobed 10 P.M.

October 27- 30, 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

27.  Thursday, 6 A.M. Ther.  24.  58.  37.  Clear E. Wind.  Rutherford came with load of old lumber in morning.  Snider in P.M.  Mrs. Young came and washed bul. clothes charging 50 c. which goes toward rent.  Seph helps pile load lumber.  Crass helps on load toward night.  Gobed 10 PM

28.  Friday, 6.30 AM  Ther.  38.  65.  50.
Clear.  White frost.  Snider, MClasky and Rutherford each had load of old lumber.  Easton brings me load of wood.  Engages Bill Halton to cut my wood next week and put in woodhouse. @ 1.50.  Get return from B & L of Bbl wh withdrawn.  No word from apples yet.   Pleasant day S wind Kate Myers over at night.  Gobed 10 P.M.

29.  Saturday, 6.30 AM  Ther.  40.  40.  32.
Clear.  Baby feels much better.  Sprinkle of rain in the night and turns colder.  Wind gets in north and  snow flying most of the P.M.  Apples and Quinces from Donay arrives.  No.2  apples don't  suit very well.  Receive dispatch from Donay saying will ship Monday.  Wire him to substitute.  Comer in town and whole gang.  Snider hauls a load of lumber which is about the last.  Go to bed 10 pm.  Clear night.

30 Sunday,  7 AM  ther.   22.  46. 32.
Clear.  Maggie and Phebe go to Sunday School.  Clear and cool, E. wind.  Went down to tell Mrs. Deckerman not to come tomorrow as Mrs. Young will wash for us.  Phebe went with me.  Go to bed 10 P.M.

Charleston, Illinois on October 7, 1887

7, Friday  6.30 AM  Ther  66.82.  70
  Mostly clear south wind.  Uncle John calls with letter from Aunt Fan.*  Buy half bushel No Spray apples from Gaisen.  Speak to H.G. about an Umbrella.  Winter's says he will take 4 cords of wood.  Shep Hunt begins hauling from south end on shares.  Warm day mostly cloudy P.M.  Leaves on  trees  are truning yellow very fast.  Tue not feeling very well nor baby. Kate Myers over Pm  also Mrs. Perrella.  Go bed 9 P.M.

Fanny Olivia Amidon

My (Catherine Stickann) 2nd great grand aunt

Birth 10 Apr 1840 in Onondaga, Onondaga, New York, United States

Death 28 Sep 1902 in Dane, Wisconsin, United States

Edit this person

She is "Uncle John's" wife's sister.  His wive is  Eliza "Cordelia" Amidon.  This would be John Hildreth's sister-in-law.

August 25 - 27, 1887 in Charleston, IL

25.  Thursday, 5.30  AM  Ther. 58.  74.  64.  W.4
Mostly cloudy.  Drive down to new school house see Geo. tucker whom wants some lumber and wood.  Drive while with Tue before dinner.  Mrs. Deckenam ironed in afternoon.  Warren Decker called P.M.  He has hauled about 32 cord of wood  is now delivering 5 cd to Sam Ray.  Mostly cloudy day  and cool.  Comer was in forenoon.  Tue complaining of colic.  Hat and two friends call at night.  go bed 9.30~

26.  Friday,   7 AM.  Ther. 60.  74.  63.
Mostly cloudy was little rain in night.  H.G. down before breakfast to see about lumber .  Went down to R.R. to pick out some 6x6 for city.  Visit gas well.  Expre JOWilhoit box.  Massey takes some empty bottles paying for them 70 cents,  Mike Miller duns for afc.  Evans wants to rent my room for restaurant .  offers  25 per mo.  Cloudy day sprinkles rain.  Kate Myers here to  supper.  Bert was in town yesterday, has bought a farm down near Lerna where he will move in spring.  Gobed 9 PM.

27.  Saturday,  6.30 AM.  ther.  58.  75.  58.
Nearly clear.  Drove with Tue down to get Mrs. Dickenson to wash Monday.  Jackson  Flesher paid up.  Uncle John drove  to dinner accommodats  Sil Myers and Briggs.  Sniders folks bring in 3 3/16 M butter.  drove down to Hats with Tue forenoon to see about going to Uncle John's tomorrow  Riley Eastin promises to make boards this week and deliver them.  Gurisey pays for cord wood sold him this week.  Kate Davis  was over at night.  Looked at some rocks clocks at Ricketts today intending to buy.  Go bed 9 P.M.

1887, August 5 in Charleston, IL

Note:  the 1912 entry is in a separate posting. I am now posting each year seperately so I can use more labels.  If you click on a label you can see all the entries that contain that label.  I hope this does not confuse our readers.

125 Years Ago . . .

5, Friday. 5.45 AM  Ther.  78.  94.  74.

Red sunrise, some cloudy.  Crass comes to work at 7.30 at clearing off garden for turnips.  Got through before noon.  Pay him .75c.  Sow turnips in garden.  Light shower about noon.  Mrs. Cha(?) called couldn't iron as Tue does it herself.  Pay Blankenbaker Water  rate  to June 1, 88.  Get haircut and shave at night.  Baby* does not seem so well today, has been complaining for two or three weeks.  Kate Myers over at night.  Drive with girls after supper.  Gobed 9.30 PM.

*I am curious when Charles will call the baby by her name!  CS

Fourth of July in Charleston, IL 1912 and 1887

100 Years Ago

Thursday, July 4, 1912  5.30 A.M.  Ther.  70.  90.  78. = 79 1/3

Cloudy.  S. 2.  Thunder, say 2 A.M. shower early morn (.20)  I oil buggy and hitch up early intending to go to country perhaps  to ranch.  It clears off before noon but I did not go off the place on account  so much firing.  It continues till 9 P.M. or later.  the crowd would have been larger with pleasant day.   Helen and children were in P.M. remaining to supper aug the fire works which touched off at the bridge on 4th St.  Tue went over to fireworks.  I work an hour or so in dark rounding up mare.  Mostly clear day with little air.  Go bed 10 P.M.

*http://www1.american.edu/heintze/postcards.htm

125 Years Ago

Monday, July 4, 1887  6AM.  Ther.  76.  90.  75.  

Cloudy.  Fix stove pipe in woodhouse.  Mrs. Laind washed forenoon.  Hat down a while A.M.  It rained quite a while in the night very slowly.  Kate Myers stays to dinner and most of P.M.  Rails called after dinner wants me to go down to farm with him tomorrow.  Celebration out at Fairgrounds, didn't  go out.  Father, Tue and girls went  up to see fireworks at night leaving me with baby.  Old Mr. Eastin got home this morning from Dakota.  Kate Davis was over while in P.M.  Gobed 10 P.M.  Light shower about noon.  Mostly clear day wind SW.

June, 20, 1912 and 1887 in Charleston, IL

100 Years Ago

Sunday, June 30, 1912   6 A.M.    Ther.  70.  88.  76.  = 77 1/3

Cloudy S.1. Light fog early.  After getting the paper took a trip to Emmett's  Find him engaged indefinitely on trolly (sic) line.   Tue attends Church A.M. leaving girls to get dinner.  They let the beans burn &c X  The  National Democratic Convention  is still in session at Baltimore having adjourned until Monday.  Buddy has decided to start home tomorrow.  I drove south of town P.M. going far as junction of Kickapoo and Ambraw*.  I met John Hogg on my way home.  He collided with me.  I get home 7 P.M.  All out at night leaving me with baby.  He woke up and cried long time.  Later in night he fell out of bed.  Part clear day with light southerly winds.  Gobed 10 P.M.

*Embarrass River

~The Weather for June 1912, Mean temp. 69.  Max 90 on 15th, 27th and 28th.  Min. 40 on 8th.  Precipitation 3.28 in. one inch on 1st. 1.05 on 16th.  .47 on 18th and .55 on 20th.  Rain fell on 13 days.  Thunder on 1,13,14,15,16,19,20,27,28 and 29th.  Clouds 36%  The month has been below average in temperature.  Crops are looking good.  It is getting dry for gardens &c.  The streams still carry lots of water.  Corn in the 70 s  oats say 40 country butter 25  Eggs 15.  Meadows good but few. Fungi has not appeared since about May 1.  It has been too dry and cool.

125 Years Ago

Thursday,   June 30, 1887    6 A.M.  Ther.  74.  91.  75.  

Mostly cloudy.  Very warm night.  Tue about sick this morning.  Mrs. Davis helping Tue sew.  Took harness up to Skidmore's to have mended up.  Buy gasoline stove of Miller, but fear we won't like it.  Uncle  John in town P.M.  Thinks I better get Bert's mare to drive.  Pleasant very warm day with fresh S. wind some cloudy but no rain.  Buy gal. raspberries at Mitchells @50 c.  Kate Myers over a little while at night~.  Go bed 10.30

Charleston, Illinois June 27, 1912 and 1887

100 Years Ago

Thursday, June 27, 1912, 5.30 AM.  Ther.  62.  90.  72. = 74 2/3

Part cloudy, N.E. 1.  Rhoda washes A.M.    This the warmest day to date the season.  Part cloudy, cloudy and threatening about 4 P.M. with what appeared to be  a thunder storm with rain a few miles W. and N.W. but did not rain any here.  Clears off before night. I kept pretty still all day.  Tue and Phebe up to hear band at night leaving me alone.  Gobed 9.30

125 Years Ago

Monday, June 27, 1887  6.30 A.M.  Ther.  67.  88.  66.

 Clear.  Jo Liston takes old buggy to repair.  Pay Winters express charges on two boxes of beer reed week or two ago.  Seph MClasky and I went down to mill after my buggy getting home about 3 P.M.  Got a lot of butternuts on road home.  Mrs. Lainel  washes.  Tue not very well AM baby not well P.M.  Wrote letters to Mary Sayre last night.  Kate Davis over while at night also Kate Myers and Mrs. Feagan.  Clear day, strong  east wind.  Awful dusty and dry.  Go bed, 10 P.M.  pay Seph for trip 1.00