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.
This I Leave 