The Unknown Woman

I haven’t cleaned up this image at all. I love the detail – her bonnet, dress, the flowers, her hands and her face!

So often in the old records women are not named, or if named, only a first name.  Maiden names can be so difficult to find sometimes.  And unlabeled photographs are a plague to all of us, but for me, this very old photo really stings.  I have no idea who she is.  I will claim her as part of my family, but I have no basis other than possession of the photo.

I believe this is an ambrotype which was popular from about 1850 to the mid-1860s.  The image is on the back of the glass and is covered on the back with a black sealant.  The woman looks fairly old – but life was tougher then, so maybe she’s not all that old.  I’m thinking maybe she’s 60-ish.  What do you think?  If you see any more clues, please let me know.  I’m going to look at the birthdates for women that might fit into this range.  The other thing is several of my branches probably couldn’t afford a photograph, so that might help limit it too.  But I will never know for sure.

I’m going to keep the image nearby.  She will become a symbol of those nameless women in our family trees.  I want to know her story.

Dearborn Discovered

Last Wednesday I posted a photo of a house that belonged to F. A. Dearborn and I had no idea who he was.  I put a query on Ancestry to someone who had a Frank Dearborn in her family and it turn out he is hers!  So the photo has been mailed.  Another piece of the puzzle returned to the proper family!  I love the internet – it wouldn’t have been so easy without it.

Amos Claycomb’s August 1903 Diary

My Grandfather kept diaries most of his life.  I post a month each Monday.

Saturday, August 1, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it sprinkled a little this forenoon.
I have been hoeing corn all day.
Louise came home from Chicago today where she has been visiting a friend for about a week.

Sunday, August 2, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning but did not go to Sunday-School.
I went to a ballgame this afternoon between Maple Park and Kirkland at Groves’ Park.  The former beat by a score of 6 to 2.
Papa went into Chicago this morning and came back tonight.

Monday, August 3, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and has sprinkled several different times.
I have hoed corn all day.

Tuesday, August 4, 1903
It rained a little last night and has been partly clear and partly cloudy today mostly the latter.
I hoed corn all day and after supper I rode up town on the cars and got a haircut.

Wednesday, August 5, 1903
It rained part of the forenoon today and was cloudy most of the afternoon.
I staid in the house most of the forenoon but this afternoon I hoed corn.
I went to a dance down at the park after supper and had a very nice time.

Thursday, August 6, 1903
It has been a nice day.
I have hoed corn all day.
Louise went over to DeKalb with some girls after supper.

Friday, August 7, 1903
It has been cloudy most of the time today.
I have hoed corn all day.

Saturday, August 8, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day.
I have hoed corn all day.
It sprinkled a little this morning.

Sunday, August 9, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.
I went to a ballgame this afternoon between Sycamore and the Marquettes at Groves’ park.  Sycamore won in fairly good game by a score of 14 to 4.  Batteries Syc.: J. Parker and Hughes; Marquettes: Koukalik and Rundle.  Gertenrick, the center-fielder for Sycamore made two singles, a double and a home run in five times at bat.

Monday, August 10, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.  I hoed corn all the morning.
This afternoon I went to the Chautauqua and hear W. J. Bryan, twice defeated democratic candidate for president.  His speech was very good.
I went to a ball game this afternoon and saw Sycamore beat the Marquettes in a good game by a score of 5 to 4.  Batteries for Syc, Black and Hughes: Marq. Callahan and Shrewbridge.

Tuesday, August 11, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.  I have hoed corn all day.
I hoed twenty-five acres of corn and walked fifteen miles to do it but the corn was not very weedy.

Wednesday, August 12, 1903
It was sunny part of the forenoon but was cloudy and cold all the afternoon.
I hoed corn all day.
It was a little foggy early this morning.

Thursday, August 13, 1903
It rained a little last night and sprinkled a little this morning.  It was cloudy all the forenoon but cleared up a little this afternoon.
I hoed corn all the forenoon and this afternoon I hauled rye from the Wood Farm up to the elevater [sic].  They are threshing at the Wood Farm.

Friday, August 14, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I have hoed corn all day.

Saturday, August 15, 1903
It has been cloudy all day and it rained very hard this morning for a while.
I took the milk to the factory this morning.  This afternoon I went up to see the Doctor about having my left arm fixed which I broke 6 years ago last May 22.  It was set all right at first but I twisted it again and it was not set right the second time.  It is now so crooked that it bothers me to work and I wanted the doctor to fix it but he said the only way that I could do it any good was to keep working at it till I go [got?] it back but he said that it would never be entirely straight again.
Louise went to a picnic at Burlington today with some girls.

Sunday, August 16, 1903
It has been a nice day today.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.

Monday, August 17, 1903
It has been a very nice day and warmer than usual.
I have hoed corn all day.

Tuesday, August 18, 1903
It has been a nice day and it was very hot for a while this afternoon.
I hoed corn all day except for a little while after dinner when I helped drive some pigs down to the Groves’ farm.
Eleanor went into Chicago today but is coming out tonight.

Wednesday, August 19, 1903
It rained a little last night but has been nice today.
I hoed corn all day and after supper I rode up town on the pony.
Today Papa put some large stones down by the track for part of the walk and also from the east end of the porch to the horse-block.

Thursday, August 20, 1903
It has been a very nice day only a little cloudy.
Papa went on an excursion to Madison, Wis. today.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and then helped drive two cows, which papa had sold, up through town from our pasture.
Right after dinner I helped a man get some oats and weigh them and then I hoed corn till night.
Eleanor is nineteen years old today.

Friday, August 21, 1903
It has been a nice day only partly cloudy.
I hoed corn all day and after supper I went to a dance down to the park and had a very good time.

Saturday, August 22, 1903
It sprinkled a little this morning and has been cloudy nearly all day.
I took the milk to the factory this morning and then helped around down at the other place for threshing.
We threshed from four till six this afternoon and got about 550 bu. of oats.
Harriet Avery of Galesburg came to visit Louise this afternoon.

Sunday, August 23, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.
I went to a ballgame this afternoon down to the park.  The Hinckley team beat the Maple Parks by a score of 7 to 4.

Monday, August 24, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it sprinkled three different times this afternoon.
We threshed all day and finished tonight.  We got about 2550 bu. of oats off of 65 acres.

Tuesday, August 25, 1903
It rained last night and has been cloudy most of the time today.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and then staid in the house most of the rest of the forenoon.  I hoed corn all of the afternoon.

Wednesday, August 26, 1903
It has been cloudy all day and has been raining most of the afternoon.
I hoed corn all the forenoon and helped pick sweet corn this afternoon until the rain stopped us.

Thursday, August 27, 1903
It rained all of last night and part of the forenoon and has been cloudy all the rest of the day.
I took the milk up to the factory but it was too wet to work any.
Aunt Georgie Yates and her children and George came home from Maine today but Grandma is to stay for a while longer.

Friday, August 28, 1903
It was cloudy all this forenoon it cleared up a little this afternoon and tonight at half past ten it is raining again.
Papa went to Chicago this morning.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and then helped pick sweetcorn the rest of the day.
I played cards with Louise and Harriet Avery for a while after supper.

Saturday, August 29, 1903
It has been cloudy and cold all day and has sprinkled two or three times.
I picked sweetcorn this forenoon but cut weeds in the corn all the afternoon.
I went to a dance down at the park tonight with Harriet and Louise and had a good time.

Sunday, August 30, 1903
It has been cloudy all day.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning.
Uncle Will, Aunt Jennie, Aunt Georgie, Fred Yates, Oscar Yates and Jane Tapper drove out this afternoon for a while.

Monday, August 31, 1903
It has been partly fair and partly cloudy today.
I started to go to school again today and am in the third year of H. S.  I take History, Latin (Cicero), Literature, and Chemistry.
Harriet Avery went home this morning.  George did not start to school today because his eyes are too sore.

 

Sanderson & Oakland (Part 2) – the Farm

Part 1 of the story of Thomas Lewis Oakland and Mary Ann Sanderson can be seen here.

.

In 1905 the Oaklands moved to a farm between DeKalb and Sycamore, Illinois.  On a day in 1910 they held an “Old Time Harvest Day.”  The men look too well dressed for it to be a regular farm day!

Old Time Harvest Day 1910

Written on the back of this photo:  “This was taken “Old time harvest day.”  The photographer took it standing on the Crib, that accounts for the Machine shed and crib not showing in the picture, (also for barn and silo slanting).  It was taken late in the day after most of the people were gone, still there were a good many Autos in the south end of the yard.  This was taken to get all the machinery in one picture.  There were 2000 people here that day.  Had a fine time.”

In 1911 Albie married Thomas (Roy) Duncan and lived in DeKalb, Illinois.

Eber Oakland

On 15 September 1913 the Oakland’s older son, Eber, died of malaria that he had contracted while working in Texas.  He had been engaged to Alice Lee of Meridan, Mississippi.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

About 1915 the Oaklands moved from the farm to a large home on Somonauk Avenue in Sycamore, Illinois, a quite fashionable neighborhood.

On 27 December 1917 Milo married Hazel Olsten in DeKalb.

 There were no longer children living at home.

Part 3 of the Sanderson & Oakland story can be seen here.

F. A. Dearborn House Wayne Nebraska

Sometimes family heirlooms go down the ‘wrong’ branch.  An in-law or second spouse ends up with your family photos.  After a few generations it’s as if they didn’t exist.  This is a photo on which my grandmother wrote “F. A. Dearborn 1892” and later added a street address.  There are no Dearborns in our family.  In her town of Wayne, Nebraska there is a Pearl Street and a Logan Street near downtown.  The town was founded in 1881, so I wouldn’t expect many buildings by 1892.   The houses in this photos are spread apart, but are quite large.

The mystery for me is who is F. A. Dearborn.  I have found in state and federal censuses a Frank A. Dearborn who lived in Wayne in 1885 and 1900.  I’ve sent an email to a researcher who lists that name in her family tree.  I hope it is her family.  This photo needs to go to its home.

Amos Claycomb’s July 1903 Diary

My Grandfather kept diaries most of his life.  I post a month each Monday.

Wednesday, July 1, 1903
It was cloudy this morning and it sprinkled a little in the middle of the forenoon.  It then cleared up and was very hot this afternoon but after supper it clouded up and is raining a little.
I picked red raspberries all day.
Papa began to put up clover hay down at the Groves Farm this afternoon.

Thursday, July 2, 1903
There was a very hard thunder-storm last night and it has been partly clear and partly cloudy today only very hot.
I hoed a few thistles this morning.
Grandma Townsend, Aunt Georgie and her family, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Jennie, Marion, Fred, Pierce and Uncle Will were out to dinner and they staid most of the afternoon.
I went to a dance down to the pavilion for a little while after supper.

Friday, July 3, 1903
It rained a little last night and has been both cloudy and clear today but it is raining a little now at about ten.
I picked red raspberries all the forenoon and helped in the hayfield this afternoon.
I rode the pony up town after supper but I soon came back.

Saturday, July 4, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it rained very hard for a while this afternoon.
I have staid home all day and both this forenoon and afternoon I slept for a while.
After supper I went to a dance down to the pavilion and had a very nice time.  Marion and Louise went down there this afternoon to dance while I was asleep.

Sunday, July 5, 1903
It has been a nice day.
I went to Sunday-School at noon on the pony.

Monday, July 6, 1903
It has been a nice day.
I picked red raspberries all the forenoon and this afternoon I worked for Mr. Adee with the berries but I did not pick any.

Tuesday, July 7, 1903
It has been a nice day today.
I picked black raspberries for about an hour this morning and then I went up town and had my picture taken with Grandma Townsend and all the rest of her grandchildren. [Where is this picture??]
I helped with the day all afternoon but after supper I went over to a street carnival in DeKalb on the cars.

Wednesday, July 8, 1903
It has been very hot today only a little cloudy.  It sprinkled for a few minutes about supper-time.
I mowed hay all this forenoon and this afternoon I hoed thistles down by the creek.
I went to a private dance tonight with Eleanor, down to Groves’ pavilion and had a very nice time.

Thursday, July 9, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.
I pulled mustard out of the corn this forenoon and for about an hour this afternoon I went to a ballgame this afternoon between the Spaldings and the Sycamore 1st team.  Sycamore beat by a score of 11 to 3.

Friday, July 10, 1903
It rained hard last night and has been cloudy and hot all day and a little while after supper there was a very heavy thunder storm.
I hoed corn this forenoon and thistles this afternoon.

Saturday, July 11, 1903
It has been a nice day today.
I hoed corn all of the forenoon and helped with the hay this afternoon but the loader broke down twice which delayed us quite a while.
After supper I went on the cars over to DeKalb to the street carnival.

Sunday, July 12, 1903
It has been a nice day today.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went to Sunday-School.

Monday, July 13, 1903
It has been a nice day.
I mowed hay this morning until the sickle broke and then I hoed corn.  This afternoon I helped put up three loads of hay and then I mowed the rest of the time.

Tuesday, July 14, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I hoed corn for a while this morning and then helped put up four loads of hay.
This afternoon I helped put up one load and then hoed the rest of the time.

Wednesday, July 15, 1903
It has been clear all day except towards night when it clouded up a little.
I hoed corn this morning until the hay dried when I helped put it up.  I helped with the hay this afternoon until the loader broke and then I hoed corn.
I went to a dance tonight down to Groves’ pavilion and had a good time.

Thursday, July 16, 1903
It has been a nice day only very warm.
I helped with the hay this forenoon and until 4 o’clock this afternoon when I went to a ballgame between Syc. and South Chicago.  Syc. won by a score of 7 to 2.
After supper I rode the pony up town to a band concert.  We finished putting in our clover hay today.

Friday, July 17, 1903
It has been cloudy all day and it commenced to  rain at about half-past ten and rained hard all the rest of the day.
I mowed hay for a little while this morning and I slept most of the afternoon.

Saturday, July 18, 1903
It has been partly fair and partly cloudy today and this afternoon it sprinkled a little.
I have hoed corn all day.

Sunday, July 19, 1903
It has been a very nice day.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went to Sunday School.
After supper I went up to Grandma’s for a little while.

Monday, July 20, 1903
It has been partly clear and partly cloudy today.
I helped with the hay wall this forenoon and this afternoon I helped with one load and then mowed the rest of the time.
I went up town on the pony after supper.

Tuesday, July 21, 1903
It sprinkled a little this morning but it soon cleared up and was nice the rest of the day.
I mowed a little while this morning and helped load it the rest of the day.
Grandma Townsend, Aunt Georgie and her children and George started for Maine today.
I went up to Marsh’s Grove to a dance after supper but I only danced once.

Wednesday, July 22, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.
I helped put up hay all the forenoon when we finished and this afternoon I hoed weeds.

Thursday, July 23, 1903
It has been a very nice day.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and then hoed corn all the rest of the day.
Papa went with Uncle Will to Hinckley to see a ballgame at a Woodman’s picnic.

Friday, July 24, 1903
It has been a very nice day only very warm.
I have hoed corn all day.
Edward went swimming this afternoon.  We gan to cut oats today.
Eleanor went over to DeKalb with some girls after supper on the cars.  Louise and Mrs. Hill went into Chicago this morning for a short visit.
Papa went up town on the cars after supper.

Saturday, July 25, 1903
It has been a very nice day only it got a little cloudy towards night.
I hoed corn all the forenoon and helped out in the oat-field this afternoon.

Sunday, July 26, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went to Sunday School.
This afternoon I went to a league ballgame between Sycamore and the Athletics down at Groves’s park.  Syc. won in a slow game by a score of 5 to 4.

Monday, July 27, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it sprinkled a little this morning.
I hoed corn all the forenoon and helped in the oat-field this afternoon.

Tuesday, July 28, 1903
It has been partly fair and partly cloudy tonight but above [about?] five o’clock it commenced to rain and has been raining very hard with short stops all the evening.
I helped in the oat-field all day.
Mrs. Hill came home tonight from Chicago where she has been visiting since Friday.

Wednesday, July 29, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly fair today.  It sprinkled a little this morning and it rained three different times this afternoon.  The first two were not very hard but the last was pretty heavy.
I hoed corn all the forenoon and between showers this afternoon.  I hoed corn and cut burdocks.

Thursday, July 30, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I cut weeds in the cornfield with a corn knife all the forenoon and helped in the oat-field until three o’clock this afternoon.  Then I went to a ballgame between Syc. and the Marquettes of Chicago.  Sycamore won in a good game by a score of 5 to 3.

Friday, July 31, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today and cooler than usual.
I have helped with the oats all day in the field.  We finished tonight having about 65 acres.
Eleanor went into Chicago this morning but came back tonight.

 

Sanderson & Oakland – Part 1

I want to introduce my mother’s maternal grandparents – Mary Ann Sanderson and Thomas Lewis Oakland, the Norwegian branch of the family.  Other than some facts taken from the census, an obituary, and a few family stories, I don’t have much about their early years.  But what I lack in interesting stuff, I’ll try to make up for with some photos!

Mary Ann Sanderson, about 1885.

Mary Sanderson was born 26 November 1869 in Milan Township, Illinois.  Her parents were Anna Moland and Sander H. Sanderson both born in Norway.  Mary was the eighth of nine children.

Sanderson Children: Mary Ann is on the front row left.

Thomas Oakland was also born of Norwegian parents:  Ira Oakland (originally Erich Tollevsen Egeland) and Isabel Larsen.  Thomas was born 4 April 1863 near Lee, Illinois, the oldest of ten children (two died in infancy).

They married 3 March 1887.  He was almost 24, she was 17.  Both of her parents and his father died before the couple married.

Thomas Lewis Oakland and Mary Ann Sanderson

They had four children:  my grandmother, Albie Irene (23 July 1888), Eber Stanley (15 June 1890), Hazel Mae (1 June 1892), and Milo Thomas (22 December 1893).  Hazel Mae died within three weeks on 21 June 1892.  Albie was born in Dakota Territory; the other children were born in Illinois.

Eber, Milo, Albie Oakland

Thomas was listed in the census as a farmer.  They moved from Lee to a farm between DeKalb and Sycamore (IL) in 1905.  More on their farming life in the next part.

You can see Part 2 here.  And Part 3 here.

A Photo Worth Saving

I have a lot of family photographs, most in good condition.  But every once in a while I come across a unique shot that is in terrible condition.  For example, the one above, taken about 1948.  We are visiting my grandparents in Wayne, Nebraska.  Dad’s driving the tractor, I’m at the right, Jeanie’s at the left of him, and Tom is on the horse.  I love this shot! So I went to work on it in Photoshop.

I removed the color because there wasn’t any in the original photo.

.

.

.

.

.

Then I cleaned up some of the stains, scratches and fold marks.

.

.

.

.

.

Is it like new?  No, not by a long way, but I’m left with a photograph that looks pretty good on the computer.  And that’s where most of my family photos are these days.

Amos Claycomb’s June 1903 Diary

My Grandfather kept diaries most of his life.  I post a month each Monday.Monday, June 1, 1903

It has been cloudy all day and raining most of the time but the rain is very like [light?] and does not amount to much.
I walked part of the way to school this morning and before school had the filling taken out of a tooth, which had been put in only a week or so ago and I am having the nerve killed now.  It ached all the forenoon and hurt so this afternoon that I did not go to school but walked home.

Tuesday, June 2, 1903
It was cloudy all this forenoon but it cleared up the latte part of the afternoon only it clouded up again tonight.
I walked to and from school.

Wednesday, June 3, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I walked to and from school and played ball for a while after school tonight.

Thursday, June 4, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it rained part of the time this afternoon and pretty hard about supper-time.
I walked to and from school and had a tooth filled after school tonight.

Friday, June 5, 1903
It rained all of last night and for part of the forenoon.  It then staid cloudy until the latter part of the afternoon when it cleared up but it soon clouded up again.
I walked to and from school and mowed part of the lawn after school tonight.

Saturday, June 6, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I went up to Grandma’s after some wire right after breakfast.  As soon as I got back I took the milk up to the factory.  When I got back from this I went up town after the meat.  This afternoon I went to a ballgame between Syc. and DeKalb H. Schools.  Syc. beat in a very good game by a score of 5 to 3.
Eleanor came home from Lombard tonight for the long vacation.
Today Papa built a fence about the yard east of the house.  The west side of the fence is about 46 ft. east of the parlor.

Sunday, June 7, 1903
It was nice this forenoon but this afternoon it clouded up and hailed for a minute or two and then rained for a few minutes longer.
I drove to Sunday School in the buggy with Louise and Edward.  George staid home because his eyes were sore.

Monday, June 8, 1903
It has been partly clear and partly cloudy today.
I walked to and from school and played ball for a while after school tonight.

Tuesday, June 9, 1903
It was clear this forenoon but it clouded up a little this afternoon and sprinkled for just about a minute at about five o’clock.
I walked to and from school and played ball for a little while after school.
I went up town for a few minutes after supper tonight.

Wednesday, June 10, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it rained a little this afternoon and has been a little cold.
I picked strawberries this forenoon but walked to and from school this afternoon.  I played ball for a little while after school.

Thursday, June 11, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it rained a little this morning.
I walked to and from school and this afternoon I went to a ballgame between Syc. 1st team and the colored team the Algona Brownies.  The latter beat Syc. in a vey interesting game by a score of 3 to 0.
Grandma T., Aunt Georgia, and all her children and Marion Webster came here from Galesburg tonight. Marion is to stay out here most of the time.

Friday, June 12, 1903
It has been a very nice day today.
I walked part of the way to school and all of the way home.
I played ball for a while after school tonight.
Louise and Marion went up town after supper on the cars.

Saturday, June 13, 1903
It has been a nice day today.I picked strawberries all this forenoon but this afternoon I went as a sub over to DeKalb to a ballgame between DeKalb and Syc. High Schools which decided the championship of the High School League.  DeKalb won by a score of 6 to 5 in a very exciting but also very scrappy game.  Batteries;  Syc. J. Chambers and Love: DeKalb; Munger and Cheney.

Sunday, June 14, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went to Sunday School.
Louise and Marion drove over to DeKalb this afternoon.
Aunt Georgie, Uncle Will, Margaret, Marjorie, Oscar, Frederick Yates, and Jane Tapper came out this afternoon for a while.

Monday, June 15, 1903
It has been a nice day only very warm.
I picked strawberries all day until half past four.
George and Bessie Branen came out after supper for a while.

Tuesday, June 16, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I walked part of the way to school but caught a ride home.
Louise and Marion went up town on the car after supper.

Wednesday, June 17, 1903
It has been a very nice day.
I caught a ride most of the way to school this morning but walked home tonight.

Thursday, June 18, 1903
It has been a nice year only cloudy part of the time.
School stopped today for the long vacation and I [am] now in the third year of High School.
I went to a ballgame this afternoon between Syc. 1st team and the All Chicagos.  Syc. beat by a score of 12 to 1.

Friday, June 19, 1903
It was partly clear and partly cloudy this forenoon and it rained nearly all the afternoon.
I hauled shelled corn for Mr. Dennis this forenoon.
After supper I went up on the car to hear the Commencement exercises at the Opera House.

Saturday, June 20, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.
I picked berries for three hours this forenoon and for three and a half this afternoon.
I went to a baseball banquet given by the girls to the H. S. baseball players and had a good time.  Eleanor, Louise and Marion were there.

Sunday, June 21, 1903
It has been cloudy nearly all day and it is sprinkling a little now about eight o’clock.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went to Sunday School.
Papa and Uncle Will went to Elgin at noon.

Monday, June 22, 1903
It rained part of the forenoon but it cleared up this afternoon.  At supper-time it clouded up quickly and rained hard for a few minutes.
I picked berries this afternoon and made 72 cents but lost 16 while I was picking. (This was given me the next day by the boss.)

Tuesday, June 23, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly clear today.
I picked strawberries all of this forenoon and red raspberries for a while this afternoon.
I went up town on the pony for a little while after supper.

Wednesday, June 24, 1903
It has been partly clear and partly cloudy today.
I picked cherries all of the forenoon for Papa and strawberries this afternoon for Mr. Adee.  The strawberries are now almost gone.
I rode the pony up town after supper and bought me a book (Shanes) at an auction on the street.

Thursday, June 25, 1903
It has been partly fair and partly cloudy today and very warm.
I have picked berries all day.
After supper I went to a dance given in a pavilion which has just been built in the grove on the Dennis farm.  Louise and Marion also went to the dance.

Friday, June 26, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I picked red raspberries for a little while this morning and this afternoon I went out and picked 4 half-bushel baskets of peas.
Grace McKinley [probably a school friend] of Monmouth came this afternoon to visit Eleanor.
Uncle Charlie, Aunt Jennie, Fred and Pierce came tonight.  Fred is to stay out here for a while.

Saturday, June 27, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I picked strawberries all the forenoon but this afternoon I went to a ballgame between the Spaldings and Syc.  Sycamore beat in an uninteresting game by a score of 7 to 6.

Sunday, June 28, 1903
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and rode the pony to and from Sunday School.
Uncle Charlie, Aunt Jennie, Uncle Will and Oscar Yates drove out in the buggy this afternoon.

Monday, June 29, 1903
It has been partly cloudy and partly nice today.
I picked berries nearly all day and went up town for a little while after supper.

Tuesday, June 30, 1903
It was cloudy at first this morning and it sprinkled a little but it cleared up this forenoon.
I went to a Universalist Sunday School picnic to Mill Creek today and had a very nice time.  I went on the electric line to Aurora before dinner and after dinner I played ball, danced in the pavilion, and “Shot the shoots” for two hours.

 

Dorothy Bressler

Dorothy Bressler 1930
33 years old.

Dorothy Bressler is my grandmother’s sister.  She was born 17 May 1897 in Wayne, Nebraska to a relatively wealthy family.

Dorothy Bressler 1903. In this photo she looks so much like her sister, Kate.

She’s in a few photos.  What I know of her is that as an adult, she was a dark-haired beauty who did fine needle work.  She didn’t socialize much, never married, and was institutionalized for the last three decades of her life.  All because she had epilepsy.

Dorothy’s Needlework
3″ x 5″

Sometime after her father died in 1935, Dorothy was put in the State Hospital in Hastings, Nebraska.  Later she was moved closer to home to the Norfolk State Hospital.  Her brother, John, wrote much later that he took their mother there every 3 to 4 weeks to visit.  It’s a drive of just over 30 miles – not an easy trip in those days.  I have to assume that her sisters and others visited regularly, if not frequently.  After their mother died in 1947, John says he went to visit every 3 or 4 weeks, “but was not very satisfactory visit as she always wanted me to take her home.”  She died in the Norfolk State Hospital 18 August 1963 and is buried with her family in Wayne.  She was 66 years old.

Attitudes were different then and knowledge of epilepsy was minimal.  Still it saddens me that her life was so circumscribed because of it.  She deserved better.