The following is the diary of my great aunt, Julia D. Greene, formerly of Lansing, who lived with us in the farmhouse on Ford Rd. for fifteen years, approximately from 1899 to 1914. [Transcription by Mary Lillian Lathers, AKA Lillian, b. 1901, d. 1978]
Nankin, Cloudy, Oct. 1, 1901
Waked about 5:30 but was after 6 when I got up. Lay down a while after doing some picking up, brushing up, & various morning chores, then made my toilet & read Republican till Julia & Robert were ready, then we drove to Wayne. Towards 10:00 when we started. They had some business errands to do & wished to find out from Emily when Cyrus and Sarah were coming here, learned nothing definite. Robert found, by inquiry, a young man whom he engaged to come tomorrow to work for him, as he settled with Clarence Southwell yesterday & he has quit, was very unsatisfactory along at the last. We came home by Inkster & Julia did errands while Robert & I went to Post Office.
Julia has ironed some of the children's clothes, the churning has been done by the family. Mrs. Southwell drove to Inkster with a bushel of grapes that had been spoken for. I wiped supper dishes & read some this eve. & we all retired rather early. Has been pleasant most of day, but quite windy. Julia carried pumpkin pie to Emily & brought back eggs to sell for her. Sprinkled clothes.
Nankin, Wea Variable, Wed. Oct. 2, 1901. Cooler
Baby had a wakeful & crying time last night & kept Mrs. Southwell awake and disturbed, & some of the others also. I have brushed up some & swept porch & steps - finished my ironing. Lay down a while after doing morning chores. Have done more cutting out of underwaists for myself & quite a bit of basting & stitching. Yesterday sewed some on a white ruffle for the sofa pillow I am making - am going to buttonhole the edge of ruffle with yellow silk.
This p.m. Robert went to city with melons & Julia went to do some shopping & took Emily to get her shoes fitted.
Ollie was over a little while on an errand, Jennie was here too.
Nankin, Wea. Cloudy & Sunshine. Thur. Oct. 3, 1901
Very heavy frost this a.m. Have brushed up & done my usual morning chores. Mrs. Southwell went with Ollie & some others to put a quilt on the frames ready for the Miss. Society to quilt this p.m., she got home little before dinner. Julia worked at bread & other baking & caring for the baby. She went to church a little ahead of me & helped Miss Brainard mark the quilt. Mrs. Southwell drove to church with me when bread was out of the oven & other things ready to leave. There were 8 there to quilt beside me. 2 girls came, but did not quilt. Mrs. Southwell drove for Mrs. W. Stringer & took her home after the quilting. I waited at Jennie's till she came back. Our children stayed at Grandma's part of p.m. & then came to church, & baby was so fretful that Julia left early. Did not have very much literary or devotional part to our meeting & did not get quilt ready to roll, but stood it up at side of room for another day.
Julia had letter from Sarah.
Robert & his men moved the cookstove in from the shed, & set it up this eve.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Fri Oct. 4, 1901
Another heavy frost this a.m. Slept well, up soon after 6. Soon after breakfast walked to Jennie's to do errand for Julia. Sat for minute, then stopped at Grandma Lathers's for a few minutes. Quite a cold morning. Have brushed up little, waited on baby & entertained her somewhat. Lay down about 3/4 of an hour.
Have sewed some on underskirts for myself & done some mending. Julia has done considerable at cleaning up the parlor, washed the windows had the carpet tightened, wiped paint, etc. She & Emily picked grapes so that Robert took 3 or 4 bushels to the city, with several bushels of potatoes & 10 or more live fowls. He was to take grapes for Jennie to sell. He dug potatoes this a.m. & the children picked them up. Mrs. S. has done considerable at sweeping, washing windows in the west bedroom, & the general housework. Was after 5 when Robert started for the city. Emily & Cyrus went with him as far as Grandma Lathers's & brought back tomatoes she gave them.
Nankin, Wea fair, Sat. Oct. 5, 1901, Temp 36
Heavy frost again this morning - morning glory vines look rather forlorn. I wiped breakfast dishes & have done my usual chores. Lay down 45 min., then spent 2 hours rearranging pictures, maps etc., & adjusting furniture to make room for my drum, shook some of my rugs out the window. Played a few turns for the baby & have sewed a good deal on my skirts. Julia has baked bread, stewed pumpkin, & baked pies. She washed bay windows this a.m., & has gone out to see about corn husks for mattress. Was after 3 when Robert returned from city, he went at 5:00 p.m. yesterday. He drove to Inkster with a load of wood for Mr. Harrison, also butter & buttermilk. I guess he had business, for he has not yet returned. It is 8:30, & all the rest have gone to bed. Baby has been fretful for a few days, is more wakeful afternoons than usual. Mrs. S. thinks her teeth are troubling her. Have tended her considerably today. Took bath at bedtime.
Nankin, Fair, Sun. Oct. 6, 1901. Cold
Frost not quite as heavy as for 2 or 3 days past, but pretty cold out. Did usual morning cuties. Looked over SS lesson, then made my toilet for church. Julia was belated by giving the children their baths this a.m. so Robert & I rode on, she came in a little late. We overtook Emily & Cyrus & took them in. The Lansing hymnbooks were there, and I told Mr. Stewart to put them around in the seats & we used them for the first time. Mr. Wetmore made remarks about them, & compared them with the hymnals we had been using.
His theme was "Making Vows" & text was Gen. 28th 20-22. Thin congregation, S.S. att. 24, coll 40 ct. Mr. W. taught Jennie's class, as she was not out today. Mr. Wetmore stopped with Mrs. Lizzie Stringer. Consequently she came to S.S. & was out this eve. Robert, Julia, Emily & I went. Mrs. Stewart led meeting. She & Rev. W. spoke against the ill conduct of the young people, whispering, etc. Baby has been very irritable & troublesome. I have played & sung & tender her considerably this p.m. & read some, wiped dishes twice.
Nankin, Wea fair, Mon. Oct. 7, 1901. Ther Cold
Heard clock strike at 4, but did not stay awake all the time after. We got up about as usual, Julia and the children got together some pumpkin, bag of potatoes & pickles, etc. at 9:00 she, the baby, & Emily started for Wayne expecting to find Cyrus & Sarah there, had heard that they were to come yesterday. She put off washing on that account, but Mrs. Southwell has done a little for herself, I helped about work, wiped dishes twice, brought wood for the fireplace, sewed on my work, darned a little, read some, and written.
The frost has so damaged the grapes and melons that Robert has not had to go to the city today, & worked on the back part of the farm. Cyrus has been with him all day.
Julia returned a little before 6 & brought Sarah with her. Cyrus is at Emily's, going to Mt. Clemens tomorrow. Sarah & Julia have cleaned up supper work & I tended baby meanwhile. Have sewed & basted & read a little. Robert killed a hen, and the young men picked it for Julia.
Nankin, Wea fair, Tues. Oct. 8, 1901, Ther. Warmer
Was a few minutes later getting up. Brushed up sitting room, porch, & steps. Lay down nearly an hour after doing morning chores, then went to tend baby when I heard her crying, almost 11 o'clock. Julia washed this a.m., then dressed & Robert took her to meet Cyrus E. to take car for Mt. Clemens. There he intends to take baths, & Julia is to stay with him and take care of him. Expect to return Saturday. Robert brought mail and papers for me. Have wiped dinner dishes, sprinkled my few clothes, & tended baby considerably.
Jennie & Henry were in this eve. & sat quite a while. They did not know that Julia had gone to Mt. Clemens.
Sarah brought the sofa pillow material that she bought in Lansing for me to make up for Mrs. Howell at her request.
Nankin, Cloudy & Mild, Wed. Oct. 9, 1901, warmer
Rained some during night, but not heavily. Have done morning chores, filled my lamp, ironed my clothes, & wiped dinner dishes. Lay down for 25 min. Had call from Miss Helen Harper, came for mail, & I invited her to go to church to quilt this p.m. She did not go when the time came I was not able to go myself, also, the weather was too forbidding, so I sewed some & lay down at home. Sarah & children gathered some hickory nuts this p.m. She & Mrs. Southwell have baked bread & ironed a little & sprinkled balance of clothes. Sarah has sewed some on baby's outing flannel nightgown. Robert has been at Inkster good part of this eve. doing some notary public writing for the Harrisons. I have read some & tended baby considerable. She was very wakeful & restless during the evening, but better than usual during the day. Sarah had letter from Lydia Holbrooke at Cartersville, Mo., expects to stay there this winter.
Nankin, Wea Variable, Thurs. Oct. 10, 1901, Ther. Mild
Was up in good season. Sarah & Mrs. S. report baby having a hard crying spell during night. I did not notice it. I have tended her some as usual, lay down little while this a.m., wiped dinner dishes. Robert Smith has churned, Robert L. has been at work at Jennie's & Cyrus has been with him. Mrs. S & Sarah have done housework, ironing, etc. Children have picked up more hickory nuts. This p.m. Sarah picked some grapes, Emily a few, & Robert some, so he had 1 1/2 bu to take to the city.
Sarah has sewed some on baby's nightdress & taken care of her some, we all read some. I wiped supper dishes, sewed what I could. I got around the pattern & material for Robert's vest, but couldn't make the pattern jibe, & Sarah & Mrs. S. couldn't do any better, so I had to put it away.
Has been cloudy, & misted a few times today.
Nankin, Cloudy & sunshine, Fri. Oct. 11, 1901
Was up before 6. Robert started for the city with potatoes, grapes, butter & eggs. Baby slept better than night before, I have tended her some & this p.m. Sarah & baby & I have gone up to sit with Miss Montgomery while baby took her bottle of milk. Then she began to fret & was sleepy so we came home. This a.m. did my usual work, lay down a while, wrote postal cards to Sally E. & Flora S. this p.m. Emily took them to Jennie's to be mailed.
Have done some sewing for self and played few tunes for the baby, she is quite good with her mother gone. Cyrus is out with the hired man. I think he is digging potatoes or husking corn.
Sarah & Mrs. S. have done the general work and a little baking. Robert was quite late getting home. He had letter from Julia at Mt. Clemens. I read some this eve. Had Sarah come up to my room for a while towards night. Paid her 71 cts for material for Mrs. Howell's pillow cover she got for me in Lansing.
Nankin, Wea Rainy, Sat. Oct. 12, 1901, Ther. Warm.
Rained quite hard during night & good part of day. Baby was quite troublesome this eve & during night. Kept Mrs. S. awake a good deal. I lay down a while, brushed up my room a little & wrote postal card to Henry Everett & business letter to C.F. Hammond. Had Robert take them to mail when he went to Inkster this eve to meet Julia & Cyrus. I sewed a button onto his pants behind. He kindly weighed us all around, baby 23 lb, myself 134, Sarah 100, Mrs. S. 107, Cyrus 45, Emily 67. Mrs. S. & Sarah have baked bread & done usual work.
The have had a call from Ollie & Fannie this p.m. I have ripped & altered brown cotton skirt for self, putting extra breadth in flounce. Folks arrived about 5 o'clock. Cyrus very feeble. Cannot see any benefit yet received from baths. Julia very tender and attentive. She has had 2 chickens dressed tonight.
We visited this eve.
I had good bath at bedtime.
Nankin, Wea variable, Sun. Oct. 13, 1901, Colder at night
A pleasant morning, was up in good season. Cyrus feeling very poorly. Julia serves his meals to him before the fireplace. So hard for him to get around. I went through usual routine & got ready for church. Sarah & I rode, Emily Jr. driving for us. Roads very muddy, and we got our black capes badly spattered. As we were a little late Emily hurried up the horse. Cyrus rode with Ollie & others & Robert walked. Rev. W. stopped at Grandmother's. He gave a report of his visit to Synod. Thin attendance due to bad roads.
Sunday S. att. 30, coll. 34¢. Rev. Wetmore partly taught the class. Sarah did not stay. Mrs. S. had a good chicken pie for dinner & Cyrus E. had dinner at the table. Robert drove to Inkster this a.m. for the Cavanaghs, but did not find them, & this p.m. about 3 Will & Emily walked in, & Robert, the man [hired man?] took them to the car. Much cooler tonight. None of us went to evening meeting. I played some for baby this p.m. & read to Cyrus a while.
Nankin, Mon. Oct. 14, 1901, Ther. 41
Waked before 3:30, did not go to sleep again. Up at 6:30, heavy fog. Has been cold & bright. Baby had a hard long cry. I wiped breakfast dishes, Sarah washed them. I amused baby a while, saw Robert started for Inkster with Cyrus & Sarah, he to meet Emily C. & go to Mt. Clemens for Min. Baths [mineral baths], Sarah to go to Wayne & keep house for Sarah during her absence. 8:20 when they left here. Picked up dirty clothes & lay down while they plucked 2 chickens. Julia changed her mind & went to washing. Robert returned at 11, brought me 2 papers. Have written up diary. This a.m. tore down morning glory vines & burned them in the fireplace. Swept porch. Julia had call from Jennie & when she went home went with her & got green tomatoes & turnips. Cyrus went along with the wheelbarrow. He also went to Inkster with Robert on some errands. Emily has not been well, has kept to the lounge most of the day. I have buttonholed good deal on muslin ruffle for sofa pillow. Have had some slight showers today.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Tues., Oct. 15, 1901
Baby had hard cry just after I went up to bed last night, I had a neuralgic pain in my chest last night, & went to bed early. Set mouse trap in my room & got a mouse toward morning. I rolled the sweeper over sitting room & minded baby while Julia did up morning work. I have done my usual work & ironed my clothes washed yesterday, did not put in any colored ones. Julia ironed a collar & Cyrus brought it to my room.
Robert Smith churned, & Julia has cared for the butter. She has had Mrs. S. do some work on Robert's vest, planning, & partly cutting it out. I understood to put in the pockets, but Emily's noise in caring for baby confused & made me so nervous I had to put it away & go to my room. I got baby to sleep in my arms singing, after almost doing it in cab, but too much noise to get much nap. Have altered one of my jersey wrappers & lay down 2d time. Cyrus not very well, in house all day. Paid Julia 10¢ for calico she got for me to line basket. She gave me photo of Sarah and the baby.
Nankin, Wea. Rain, Wed. Oct. 16, 1901
Waked about 3:30, went to sleep again several times between then & morning. I heard a mouse rattling the trap & squeaking, was caught by the leg, so did not die. The kitten got him before I could & carried the trap under the house, I gave Cyrus a penny to find the trap. Was raining when we got up, was raining most of day. Robert & Julia, Cyrus & baby, drove to Wayne to spend the day with Sarah. I have put the pockets in the vest, finished buttonholing the ruffle for sofa pillow, brushed up sitting room, lay down while, did little darning, & worked on another Jersey wrapper.
Mrs. S. has baked bread, apple pie, & worked on pickles & the general housework. The man drove back to woods & got a few chunks of wood for the fireplace.
Ollie has been over & sat a while, had an errand with Mrs. S.
Emily & Robert have popped some corn. Was 5 when Julia & others got home. We have read & visited this eve.
Nankin, Wea. Variable, Thurs. Oct. 17, 1901, cold
Caught another mouse & heard considerable rattling of the trap, & squealing of mouse, but a thorough search of room in morning did not find him. Robert had got up in night & killed him, was so disturbed. Julia has fried cakes, roasted beef, cooked turnips, & worked at her mixed pickles. Robert has drawn two large loads of wood to schoolhouse & children went with him. Mr. Parr finally got around with his groceries. Mrs. Southwell has sewed some for herself and put together her effects & started to Inkster this p.m. Rode with Fannie & Sarah. Julia is going to do the work without her for a little. I have worked on the vest good part of day, but was hindered about stitching it for fear of waking the baby. She has been quite troublesome part of the day, and so has Cyrus. I have wiped dishes twice, brushed up sitting room, & cared for baby some. Robert was gone most of evening on business.
Nankin, Wea. Variable, Fri. Oct. 18, Very windy & cold
Mrs. Southwell not here to start things, & our folks overslept. At 5:10 I called Julia, & soon Robert went down & made afire. So cold Robt. decided to put up stove, so Robt. Smith has blacked it in shed. I got him to go up to closet for my drum & touch it up, & they have set them up after much bother. I got out an oilcloth & tacked it down with carpet tacks under it. Have given my room good sweeping, also south part of hall, brushed stairs down twice. Cleared up & regulated Julia's closet after drum was taken out. Children cracked nuts, & Julia made a hickory nut cake & has done general work, I wiped supper dishes. Charlie Hough came this eve. to borrow ice cream freezer, he is to be married next Tuesday to Ida Proctor. Henry brought mail this eve, Julia had letter from Emily C. at Mount Clemens, reported Cyrus little better. I had papers, & letters from Sally Christopher. Have worked considerably on the vest, & read good part of evening. Children have been in house most of day, & Cyrus has been quite annoying. Julia walked to Jennie's this eve.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Sat. Oct. 19, 1901, quite windy
Was very nervous last night, & consequently did not get to sleep until after 1:00 a.m., then slept until 6:40 a.m., but soon got up, and was not late to breakfast. Have done usual chores & after lying down for 35 or 40 minutes, spent the balance of time on the vest, & finished it just as dinner was ready. Had some beef soup, & warm pumpkin pie. I played number of tunes this a.m., swept porch & steps & diverted baby. Robert has churned. Julia has baked bread & pumpkin pie, & mopped & swept sittingroom.
Robert drew part load of wood to school, & children went along. He & Rob. S. are digging potatoes for market. Julia has dressed & stuffed 2 chickens for tomorrow's dinner. I wiped supper dishes & read some this eve.
Did quite a bit of writing this p.m.
Nankin, Wea Fair, Sun. Oct. 20, 1901, Milder
Very heavy frost on fields this a.m., but a beautiful sunshiny day. After my usual dusting was done & I had lain down a while, looked over S.S. lesson, then made ready for church. Robert drove to Inkster for Mr. Wetmore & left him at church, then returned for me, & then Julia & Emily, as they were not ready when I left. Robert not feeling very well, stayed with baby & looked after dinner. I was 8 minutes ahead of time. Rev. W. the only one there. Miss Harper came soon, so I opened the organ & played & sang "The Eye of Faith", S.S. tune. When I got through & looked around, there were several lecturers. Rev. W.'s subject - bearing fruit. Text Matt 7, 16 & 17. Rather a thin congregation for such a fine day.
S.S. att 28, coll. .30. Rev. W., acted as Supt. I had letters from Lottie Leonard & C.F. Hammond, rec at Inkster the 16th & taken to Wm. S. Lathers's till today. Robert, the Rev. & I went to evening meeting. The appointed leader much behind, so Rev. W. took charge.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Mon. Oct. 21, 1901, Mild
Little after 6 when I got up. Had not heard much stir in Julia's room. Robert was up about 3:30 getting ready to go to city with 10 bu of potatoes - he returned before 2:00. Rob. S. took Rev. W. to the car about 8:30. Julia combed Emily's hair & saw her off to the first day of school. She then went to washing. Cyrus had pumped some water & helped her in some other ways, or thinks he has. He has diverted the baby some & I have considerable. I have hung out all the clothes but 4 pieces, & brought in some of them. Filled lamps, etc.
Did not open my letters rec. yesterday until this a.m., but had time after dressing to get them nearly read before breakfast. One was from C.F. Hammond on business & the other was from Lottie Leonard. She encloses a "chain letter". They were both rec'd at Inkster the 16th, but for the careless P.M. should have rec'd them 3 days ago. Ironed nightdress & pair of stockings.
Nankin, Wea. Fair Tues Oct. 22, 1901
Morning program about as usual. Have helped Julia some - but have spent the best part of the day in composing a long letter to Lottie Leonard in answer to one rec'd Sabbath. She wanted recipe for green tomato pickles, so I copied one of Julia's & sent her. J. has ironed some. She wanted to go to Wayne this p.m. to find out how Cyrus was doing at Mt. Clemens & also to get some school books for Emily. She wanted me to ride with her, but as I did not feel able, she wanted me to go to Miss Montgomery's & offer her the chance. I did, but she did not think it would do for her to take so long a ride. J. took the baby alone. I have played & sung to her. She was quite troublesome this evening. I wiped dishes twice. Robert & men have dug 90 bu of potatoes today - had an extra man to help. Julia baked apple pudding for dinner.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Wed. Oct. 23, 1901
Have done usual duties. Swept up kitchen, ironed my skirt, tended baby, & have written 6 page letter to Mrs. W. K. Spencer in Atlanta, Mich, enclosing chain letter at Lottie Leonard's request.
Julia has put the quilt up on chairs & quilted on it what time she could get. I marked some, & quilted after 3 o'clock. Julia has baked bread & apple pie swept some & ironed some too. Robert & the men have dug 93 bu of potatoes. Cyrus picked up 3 bu or more.
Robert's father was in a few minutes after dinner, & Miss Harper was in a few minutes.
No one came to help on the quilt.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Thur. Oct. 24, 1901, cold
We were up ½ hour or so earlier than usual. Have done usual chores. About 8:30 Julia drove to Inkster to get Mrs. Southwell. Took Emily to school, & the baby along for the ride. Cyrus went to the field with the men who are topping beets, came in soon, & not finding his mother, was nearly heart broken, but I comforted him shortly. Julia brought considerable mail, a long letter from Flora Skinner & 4 Republicans. While J. & Mrs. S. were doing dinner dishes I carried mail to Johnnie's, did not stay long. Returned, & aside from mending some for Julia have spent the whole day on the quilt. Missionary Soc. are doing it for Mrs. Harriet Stringer. Julia & Mrs. S. also worked on it but no one else came. Rob churned the a.m. Baby has not had to have as much tending as usual.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Fri., Oct. 25, 1901
Robert started for city about 4 o'clock with load of potatoes, butter, eggs, etc. for himself & Jennie. Julia has baked miner pies & stewed pumpkin, but gave that latter to Ollie, who came to get one as she was to have company from the city tomorrow who must have pumpkin pie. Julia, Mrs. S. & I have each quilted some & finished it. Mrs. S. took it off the frames. Julia has begun repairs on Emily's school cloak. Mrs. S. has helped about the work & been putting together some of her things to pack up. I have wiped dishes twice, & written letter to Mrs. D. Howell & enclosed a chain letter copied from Lottie Leonard's. Have also written in diary. Undressed baby tonight & have tended her quite a bit. Lay down to rest about 5:30 to get away from children's confusion for a little while. Read little this eve, but my eyes got to smarting, so had to stop. Baby wakeful, Mrs. S. sung her to sleep at last.
Nankin, Wea Fair, Sat, Oct. 26, 1901
After 9:30 when Robert got home from Detroit. Julia & Rob were up, but I had gone to bed. He got the yard of huck toweling I sent for, I have begun one of the sofa pillows that Mrs. Howell requested for the Lansing ladies' bazaar. Have also enlarged a jersey wrapper by getting gore in front & back below the waist & have mended one of baby's shoes by crocheting some in the toe.
Julia has stewed more pumpkin, made pumpkin & apple pies, cake, & bread this morning. We had Johnnycake, she roasted beef for dinner. After the noon work was done, J. started for Wayne by way of Inkster, taking Emily & Cyrus along to Jennie's, to get the mail & stay a while. She got word that Cyrus E. & Emily had been there since Thursday & thought to bring them home with her. Robert & Rob have been doing a little blacksmithing, grindstone work etc, he has two extra men now. Julia was late getting home, as Cyrus did not feel up to coming with her, & she wanted to stay a while with him. I wiped tea dishes. We had a short visit from Grandma Lathers. Took bath at bed time.
Nankin, Wea Fair, Sun. Oct. 27, 1901
Morning program about as usual. Robert drove to Inkster for Cyrus & Sarah, & Bob brought Will & Emily. I was ready for church and waited a little for them to come. Will went to church with Robert without much urging - we were a few minutes late. Rev. Wetmore stated that it was Temperance Sunday & made extensive remarks upon that subject. His text was 2d Peter 1,6.
I got rather stupid at the last, but did not go to sleep. Will did not stay to S.S. Rev. W. taught Bible class - att 33, coll. 46¢.
Robert had a session meeting to attend after S.S., but did not know what kept him, so after waiting outdoors a while, walked home. Folks so nearly through dinner that I waited & ate with Robert. Just after we sat down Will Everett & wife came to back door, had walked from Inkster. I read Sarah's & Flora's letters to Cyrus. The Cavanaghs & Will E. & wife left about 4:30 for Wayne.
Robert, Emily L. & I went to evening meeting. Wm. Lathers was leader. Mr. W. invited me to lead next week, I explained that I could not.
Nankin, Cloudy, Mon. Oct. 28, 1901, Some sunshine
I did not rise as early as I might, so was a little late for breakfast. Julia has waited on her father, & then got Emily off to school, then washed. Mrs. S. helped her some & has baked biscuits, got the meals, & some one made fried cakes before breakfast. Sarah washed dinner dishes & I wiped them. I picked up dirty clothes, changed my bed, and aired the mattress. Swept my room well, & shook my cushions out of the window. Lay down little while for rest, have read little & written some. About 2 o'clock Julia had the horse hitched to the stoneboat & with an arm chair on it gave Cyrus a ride to the sugar beet field - baby sat at his feet & Cyrus held on to the chair behind. Julia walked at the left side & drove, Sarah & I walked behind. There were 4 boys at work topping beets & Robert was using the beet plough to lift the beets out. Coming back I rode on the boat part way. Played some for baby when she fretted - sewed little for self, wiped supper dishes. Julia & Robert dressed 2 chickens after children had gone to bed. I read some this eve & played some for baby.
Nankin, Wea Fair, Tues. Oct. 29, 1901
Quite foggy this morning. Our folks are getting up so much earlier nowadays on account of the sugar beets that I was late for breakfast again. Have tended baby considerable & let Julia work. J. has waited on her father, visited, & sewed some & baked bread, baked one chicken & fricasseed the other. Stewed cranberries etc. Robert churned. Sarah & Mrs. S. have helped about the general work.
Robert & the men are working in the sugar beets. I have done my ironing, darned a large tear in Julia's dress & skirt. Spent 3 hours darning on the huck sofa pillow & written little. Lay down a while this p.m. Julia started about 3:00 to take Cyrus & Sarah to Wayne, drove all the way back at 6:00. Baby quite fretful & troublesome this eve. I have read a little.
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Wed. Oct. 30, 1901, Windy
Have written a business letter of some importance to J.R. Esselstyn, but did not get a chance to mail it. Have done usual duties of tending baby & wiping dishes.
Nankin, Wea. Variable, Thurs. Oct. 31, 1901, Windy & cool.
Were a little slow getting up. Did some ripping on baby's shirt in order to enlarge it. Did usual chores & was writing in diary when Cyrus came up to say Julia was about to start for Wayne within an hour.
I put aside the writing & got ready, had not expected to go until p.m. Cyrus & baby went too. I carried a pumpkin pie baked this a.m. on my lap. Had a big tin can of buttermilk & the two big sugar beets that Robert brought in last night. Took my J.R.E. letter along & got Will C. to mail it for me. Found Mrs. Frazier there from Plymouth visiting with Cyrus & Sarah, Emily getting dinner. Cyrus feeling quite comfortable for him. Says his knees are not very painful, but he had a poor day yesterday. He had letter from Arthur giving home news, & telling him he had better stay longer. Emily had a nice dinner, roast chicken, cabbage salad, cranberries, pickles, & apple & pumpkin pie. Had nice visit, worked some on pillow. Started home about 4:20. Began to rain soon, I got quite wet on left side. Stopped before we got home. I wiped dishes & read some this eve. - went to bed early.