In January 1903 Amos Claycomb will turn 17. He lives with his father, Frank Erwin Claycomb, and his siblings, Eleanor, Louise, George, and Edward in Sycamore, Illinois. His mother, Anna Sarah Townsend Claycomb, died in 1892 when Amos was 6 years old.
My Grandfather kept diaries most of his life. I post a month each Monday.
Thursday, January 1, 1903
It has been a very nice day and so warm that the roads have been thawing.
I went skating for a little while this morning down to the WestCreek with Louise, George and Edward. This afternoon I walked up town and then back again. Eleanor and Louise went up town on the electric cars this afternoon and Papa went up on them after supper. Harry Shelton went home from his visit this morning.
Friday, January 2, 1903
It sleeted for a while this morning then rained for quite a while and towards evening it commenced to snow.
I walked up town and back this morning taking the milk with me. This afternoon I rode up with Papa to get some thread and then I walked back. I went to a girl’s dance tonight at Ward’s Opera House and had a fairly good time.
Saturday, January 3, 1903
It has been cloudy all day and it snowed a little part of the time.
I staid in the house and read most of the time and slept nearly all the afternoon.
Eleanor and Louise both went to the dance last night but they staid up town while I walked home after the dance.
Papa drove up town after supper tonight.
Sunday, January 4, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly shiny today.
I walked up town and back this morning to get the milk and get a paper and to and from Sunday School at noon.
Papa went into Chicago this morning and has not come back yet.
Monday, January 5, 1903
It snowed quite a little last night but has been nice today.
We began school again today and I walked up and part of the way back.
Eleanor went back to Lombard this morning and Papa went with her as far as Cortland on the train.
Tuesday, January 6, 1903
It has been cloudy most of the time today and is getting colder tonight.
I walked to and from school. I played basketball a little while after school tonight.
Wednesday, January 7, 1903
It has been a blizzard all day today with the wind coming from the north-west.
We all drove up in the buggy this morning to school.
Papa went up town after supper tonight on the car.
Thursday, January 8, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today only it has been very cold.
I walked to school and most of the way back.
I milk three cows now every morning and night which are all that we milk up at this place.
Mrs. Hill went up to Grandma’s this afternoon and staid for supper.
Louise went with a small party on the electric cars over to DeKalb after supper.
Friday, January 9, 1903
It has been a nice day only pretty cold.
I walked up town after supper to see a basketball game between the 1 and 2 team of the Syc. H. S. The former beat by a score of 27 to 14. After the game I rode home on the cars.
Saturday, January 10, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I walked up town and back this morning and took the milk.
This afternoon I caught a ride most of the way up town and got a hair cut and then walked back.
Sunday, January 11, 1903
It snowed all of last night and until about noon today and as a strong wind has been blowing from the north the snow has been drifting a great deal.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning.
We did not go to Sunday School because it was so stormy.
Monday, January 12, 1903
It has been a nice day only pretty cold.
We all rode up in the sleigh this morning and I walked home or part of the way after school. I played basketball for a while after school.
Tuesday, January 13, 1903
It has been cloudy most of the time today but it has been a good deal warmer than yesterday.
I let my watch fall on the floor tonight and it broke the mainspring.
Papa went up town on the cars after supper tonight.
Wednesday, January 14, 1903
It has been cloudy all day.
I played basketball for a while after school tonight.
George went on a sleighing-party after supper.
Thursday, January 15, 1903
It has been a very nice day and so warm that so much of the snow has melted that the sleighing is getting poor.
Friday, January 16, 1903
It has been a very nice day.
I walked to school this morning and back again tonight.
I played basketball for a little while after school.
I milk three cows every night and morning now.
Saturday, January 17, 1903
It has been a very nice day.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and drove Papa up to the train at noon when he was going to Chicago. I staid home all the afternoon but after supper I walked up town to get some meat and then I rode back on the cars.
Sunday, January 18, 1903
It has been a very nice day.
I took the milk up [to] the factory this morning and walked to and from Sunday-School at noon.
Papa came home from Chicago this afternoon. He was going to come on the midnight train last night but decided to stay over. The train was wrecked by a broken rail and the engineer was killed and nine or ten people were more or less hurt.
Monday, January 19, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day.
Papa went up to a school-board meeting after supper and Louise and Mrs. Hill went up to a recital given at the Waterman Hall.
We are taking the Tribune for a daily paper this year but our first copy did not come until yesterday.
Tuesday, January 20, 1903
It all has been cloudy all day and it snowed a little this afternoon.
I played basketball a little while after school and then got a ride home with Papa.
Papa went up town on the cars after supper tonight.
Wednesday, January 21, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
Papa went up town on the cars after supper tonight.
Thursday, January 22,1903
It has been cloudy all day and has been snowing most of the time but the snow has not amounted to much.
I played basketball for a while after school tonight and then walked home.
Papa went up town after supper.
Friday, January 23, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day but the sun shone for a little while.
I went to a dance tonight and had a very nice time. Louise also went and staid up to Grandma’s but I drove home.
Uncle Fred and Uncle Will came home from Hot Springs today where they have been for about three weeks.
Saturday, January 24, 1903
It has been snowing nearly all day except during the latter part of the afternoon but the snow is very dry and it hasn’t amounted to much.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and then played basketball for a while. I walked most of the way up town this afternoon and all the way back.
Sunday, January 25, 1903
It has been cloudy all day today.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went to Sunday-School at noon.
Uncle Will and Jane came out here for a little while this after[noon].
Mrs. Hill and George went up to church on the cards after supper tonight.
Monday, January 26, 1903
It has been a nice day but only a little cloudy but the snow has been melting fast.
I walked home after school tonight.
Papa went up town on the cars after supper tonight.
Tuesday, January 27, 1903
It rained part of last night and a little bit this morning and has been cloudy all day. It turned foggy about dark tonight.
I played basketball for a while after school and then walked home.
Louise and Mrs. Hill went up to a concert at the Congregational Church on the cars after supper.
Papa also went up town on the cars after supper.
Wednesday, January 28, 1903
It has been misty all day and the roads are getting pretty muddy.
George went up town after supper to tend door at a private dance.
Papa also went up town after supper on the cars.
Thursday, January 29, 1903
It has been cloudy all day and it snowed for a few minutes this afternoon and is getting very cold tonight.
I walked home after school tonight after playing basketball for a little while.
It is my birthday today and I am 17 years old.
Aunt Jennie came from Galesburg today.
Friday, January 30, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cold.
I walked home after school tonight. After supper I walked up town and saw too basketball games between the S. H. S. girls and boys and the 2nd teams of the girls and boys of Normal of DeKalb. The Syc boys and girls beat the former by a score of 12 to 6 and the latter by a score of 10 to 2. After the game I rode home on the cars.
Saturday, January 31, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and got a pair of shoes while I was up town. I walked up town this afternoon and umpired a basketball game between the 8th grade and 1 years H. S. Boys. The former in which George played beat by a score of 17 to 4. After the game I walked home.
Aunt Jennie was out here to supper and went back on the cars with Papa.
This I Leave 