Amos Claycomb’s April 1904 Diary

Friday, April 1, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and a very strong north-west wind has been blowing most of the time.
I played at the Club a little while after school.

Saturday, April 2, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and a very strong north-west wind has made it very cold.
I took the milk up town this morning and then bowled a little.
I split kindling all the afternoon but went up to the Club after supper and played pool for a while.
We tore down our old corn crib today that stood at the south-west corner of the barn and are going to build a new one.

Sunday, April 3, 1904
It has been clear all day only a little cold because of a northerly wind.
I took the milk up this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.
Today is Easter and as papa is a Knight Templar, he went up to the banquet this noon with Louise.

Monday, April 4, 1904
It has been a very nice day.
I took the milk up this morning but came right back and have worked around home all day.

Tuesday, April 5, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day.
I took the milk up this morning and then worked around home all day.
I went up town after supper and played pool at the Club for a while.

Wednesday, April 6, 1904
It has been only partly cloudy today.
I took the milk up this morning and after dinner went up and played ball for a while.

Thursday, April 7, 1904
It has been mostly cloudy today.
I sawed wood most of the forenoon and played ball most of the afternoon.

Friday, April 8, 1904
It has been hailing, raining and snowing today but mostly the last.
I walked up town both this morning and afternoon.  Tonight I went to a dance given by the girls’ Club and had a very nice time.

Saturday, April 9, 1904
It snowed quite hard last night and it has been cloudy and cold all day and raining or snowing a little.
I took the milk up this morning but staid home this afternoon and slept.
I went up to the Club after supper and played cards.

Sunday, April 10, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day.
I took the milk up town this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.

Monday, April 11, 1904
It rained this morning for a while and has been changeable all day.  A north-west wind has been blowing hard and it is raining a little tonight.
I walked to and from school and played one game of pool after school.

Tuesday, April 12, 1904
It has been partly cloudy but pretty cold as it froze this morning.
I played baseball for a while after school tonight.

Wednesday, April 13, 1904
It snowed quite a while this morning but did not amount to anything and has been changeable the rest of the day.
I played ball for a while after school.
Papa went into Chicago this noon and is coming out tomorrow night.

Thursday, April 14, 1904
It has been partly cloudy.
I walked to and from school and played ball for a while after school.
I started with another customer for milk today and now have six in all.

Friday, April 15, 1904
It has been cloudy and very cold all day.  A little snow fell this morning and a very strong north wind blew all day.
I went to a banquet tonight given by my class, the juniors, to the seniors and had a very nice time.

Saturday, April 16, 1904
It has been clear all day but rather cold with a light north wind.
I took the milk up this morning and then bowled three games.
I went to a baseball game this afternoon when Syc. H. S. beat Genoa in a poor game by a score of 10 to 6.
I went up to the Club after supper and played pool.

Sunday, April 17, 1904
It has been clear part of the day.
I took the customers’ milk up in a buggy this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.

Monday, April 18, 1904
It has been cloudy part of the time today and a strong north-west wind has been blowing this afternoon and tonight.
I played ball for a while after school tonight.
Little Mary Tapper was taken sick with the scarlet fever today and I ate dinner at Uncle George Wild’s.  We cannot go to Grandma’s now until she gets well.

Tuesday, April 19, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today with northerly winds and pretty cold.
I ate a lunch at a resturant [sic] at noon today.
I played ball for a while after school.
Grandpa and Grandma Claycomb came tonight for a visit.

Wednesday, April 20, 1904
It has been clear most of the day but cold with a northerly wind.
I walked to and from school and played ball for a little while this afternoon.

Thursday, April 21, 1904
It has been clear most of the day but cold with a strong easterly wind.
I played ball for a while after school but wore my overcoat all day.

Friday, April 22, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and has sprinkled several times.
I played billiards for a little while after school.

Saturday, April 23, 1904
It was clear this forenoon but clouded up this afternoon and is raining tonight.  It has been very warm all day.
I worked around home party of the forenoon and for a while after dinner.
I rode the pony for the first time up town this afternoon.  After supper I went up to the Club and played pool for a while.

Sunday, April 24, 1904
It rained last night and a little this morning and has been cloudy all day.
I took the milk up in the buggy this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.

Monday, April 25, 1904
It has rained nearly all day except the latter part of the afternoon and there has been a very strong north-east wind.
I walked to and from school and played pool for a while after school at the Club.

Tuesday, April 26, 1904
It has been clear the greater part of the day.
Grandpa and Grandma Claycomb started back to Monmouth this morning.
I went down to the Club after school and played pool for a while.

Wednesday, April 27, 1904
It has been a very nice day.
Mary Tapper is getting along fairly well.
Louise and Mrs. Hill went into Chicago today and Mrs. Hill staid in overnight but Louise came home.
Papa is building a small brick walk just west of the house which runs straight to the road.

Thursday, April 28, 1904
It has been a very nice day.I played ball for a while after school and went up town after supper to play pool at the Club.
Mrs. Hill came home tonight from Chicago.

Friday, April 29, 1904
It has been a very nice day and pretty warm.
I played ball after school and after supper I went to see a Ladies’ Minstrels consisting of home talent with Miss Jeness.

Saturday, April 30, 1904
It has been a very nice day.
I took the milk up this morning and then helped to plant some potatoes.
This afternoon I went to a ballgame when S.H.S. beat Dundee 9-7.  Then I rode around town on Uncle Will’s horse with another boy.
After supper I went up and played pool and billiards at the Club for a while.

Bressler & Fair – Part One

 

 

My great-grandparents were John and Julia Bressler of Wayne, Nebraska.  They started out with very little, but became prominent citizens by the end of their lives.

 

John T.’s Story

John Tannehill Bressler was the son of Mary Ann Tannehill and Daniel Bressler.  Daniel had been married before to Margaret Ganoe and they had six children.  Margaret died when the youngest was two years old.  John was born 14 January 1849 in Warriors Mark, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania – the third child and second son for Mary Ann and Daniel.  His older brother Lindley died in the Civil War in 1862.  There were nine children from this second marriage.  The family was poor and many of the children headed west.  Today there are several Bressler families in Nebraska.

John followed his brother, Hezekiah, to Cuming county, Nebraska only to find that all the homesteads had been taken.  He went north to Wayne county and settled near LaPorte the Spring of 1870.  Here he was county surveyor in 1875 and was elected to two terms as Treasurer of Wayne county in 1877 and 1879.  About 1880 he and D.C. Patterson started the Logan Valley Bank.

In an interview in the 1930s John said that while most of his neighbors built “soddies” – half buried homes of prairie sod, he made the mistake of building a board house.  That winter everything in his house froze, while his neighbors were well insulated in their homes.

In my notes I have that John Bressler held a “timber claim” in Nebraska which seems odd since there weren’t many trees.  An interview with him in 1931 (newspaper clipping dated 25 June 1931) explains this.  “Although lumber had to be hauled great distances at first, the pioneers were urged to plant trees and to forest the land as rapidly as possible.  In order to foster tree-growing, the government arranged for “timber claims,”  although they were not nearly so popular in this section as in some others.  In order to hold a tree claim of 160 acres, for example, the settler was obliged to plant about 10 acres of time; for 80 acres, about five acres in trees, and so on.  Mr. Bressler, who believed in making a farm country of the rich land, went to the river courses, dug up sturdy saplings, and planted them on his homestead.  The result of the planting activities of such pioneers as Mr Bressler is the transformation of the treeless, shrubless prairie into a land that looks like native woods.”  And this agrees with the family stories that I heard of them going to the Missouri River (about 35 or 40 miles) to get saplings.

Julia’s Story

Julia Fair was born on the same day, ten years after John Bressler – on 14 January 1859 in Indiana county, Pennsylvania.  Her middle name is sometimes recorded as DeForest, but I haven’t confirmed that or found that name anywhere else in the family.  She was the daughter of Salina Jane Cribbs and Mark Fair.  The family moved to Dakota City, Dakota county, Nebraska in 1867 when she was eight years old.  Salina had six children but at least two of them died very young.  Julia taught at Bell School in Dakota City in 1878 and 1879.

Their Marriage

Julia Fair and John Tannehill Bressler were married at Fair farm homestead, two miles west of Dakota City by Rev J. P Schmu, pastor of the Lutheran Church, Dakota City on 21 July 1880.  They lived in LaPorte, Nebraska.  In 1881 they moved to Wayne when it became the county seat.

T.C. Duncan in Santa Fe 1891

My great-grandfather’s brother, Thomas Cation (T.C.) Duncan was a prominent homeopathic doctor in Chicago is the late 1800s.  In March 1891 he took several patients from Chicago to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  He wrote a short article for the journal Medical Visitor.  I have the clipping, but not the photo printed in the journal – I think that is T.C. in suit and top hat.

His article:
An Escape from Climatic Rigor.
Chicago, May, 1891. – It was a great relief to a train load of excursionists to emerge from the snow of the north into the balmy Rio Grande Valley in early March.  We left Chicago in a storm of sleet and snow.  Nearly every one on the Raymond and Whitcomb train had taken cold, and beside I had the child of Mayor Longyear wrestling with membranous croup.  In southwestern Kansas the snow disappeared and mild spring seemed at hand, and the sick improved.  As we entered New Mexico the farmers were putting in their spring crops, and our sick all felt decidedly the salubrious change.  If Colorado Springs is a good resort; that New Mexico must be far better in spring, would be self-evident.               — T. C. Duncan, M. D., in Medical Visitor.

He took many photos, some of which have survived.  Last weekend, I tried to take a photo similar to one of his photo of St. Michaels Mission in Santa Fe.  I’ve written more about that and his camera on my photography blog.

 

The oven is called a horno and they are still in use today.  Great way to bake in summer without heating up the house.

This camera held from 60 to 150 exposures.  I would love to see all of them!

Amos Claycomb’s March 1904 Diary

Tuesday, March 1, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and warm enough to melt most of the time.
I caught a ride part of the way to school and another part of the way home

Wednesday, March 2, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and is foggy tonight.  There is a very heavy wind tonight and it has been warm enough to melt all day.
I walked to and from school and bowled a little while this afternoon.

Thursday, March 3, 1904
It began to snow last night and a north-west wind made a regular blizzard this morning.  the temp. was 15º  above but there is not much snow.
I bowled six games after school and after supper went to a Junior class party at Nellie and Anna Bollinger’s and had a very nice time.

Friday, March 4, 1904
The temp. was about 16º above this morning but it has been melting nearly all day.
I helped drive some cows home right after school but and went up town after supper to see a basketball game between the Belvidere H. S. boys and girls and the Syc. boys and girls.  Both Syc. team won.  After this I bowled five games.

Saturday, March 5, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today.  The roads freeze very hard at night but thaw a good deal during the day.
I walked to and from town with the milk this morning and went up town for d after dinner and bowled and won two games.

Sunday, March 6, 1904It has been cloudy nearly all day and has rained most of the afternoon.
I walked to and from town with the customers’ milk this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.
Grandma is quite a little better today.

Monday, March 7, 1904
It was clear nearly all day except that it clouded up towards night.
I walked to and from school.  The roads are getting very muddy.
Papa goes up town on the car nearly every night and Louise rides it to and from school but we boys always walk.

Tuesday, March 8, 1904
It has been a very nice day.
I walked to and from school.
Grandma was is quite a little better today.

Wednesday, March 9, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and a strong east wind has been blowing all the time.
I walked to and from schools and the roads are almost dry enough to walk all the way on.

Thursday, March 10, 1904
It rained quiet [sic] a little last night and has been raining most of the time today although not very hard.
Aunt Jennie came from Galesburg last night to see Grandma who is very much better.

Friday, March 11, 1904
It snowed a little last night and has been colder than usual today.
Papa and Louise went over to a musical at DeKalb Normal tonight.

Saturday, March 12, 1904
It has been cloudy most of the time today and a little cold with an easterly wind.
I took the milk up town this morning on foot and also went up after dinner and bowled a while.

Sunday, March 13, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and tonight it has begun to snow.  A cold east wind has been blowing all day.
I walked to and from town with the milk this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.

Monday, March 14, 1904
It snowed all of last night and has been blowing a blizzard all day with a strong, north wind.
I rode up to school with papa but walked home.
Grandma still continues to improve.

Tuesday, March 15, 1904
It has been partly fair and partly cloudy today but the snow has melted a good deal.
I walked to and from school and bowled seven games after school this afternoon.
Aunt Jennie was out to supper tonight.

Wednesday, March 16, 1904
It has been cloudy most of the day and melting a little but after supper it sleeted a little.
I bowled six games after school tonight and then walked home.

Thursday, March 17, 1904
It snowed all of last  night and most of today although it has been melting most of the time.  A strong east wind has been blowing all day.
I bowled quite a little after school tonight.

Friday, March 18, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today and the snow is melting fast.
I went to a dance at Townsend’s hall tonight and walked home after it.

Saturday, March 19, 1904
It was cloudy this forenoon but it cleared up after dinner.  A strong westerly wind has been blowing most of the time.
I took the customers’ milk up this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day, sleeping all the afternoon.

Sunday, March 20, 1904
It had been partly cloudy an very cold all day.  A very strong east wind has been blowing all the time.
I walked to and from town with the milk this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.
It is Edward’s birthday today and he is 12 years old.

Monday, March 21, 1904
It rained last night and froze and everythink [sic] was icy this morning.  It has been raining most of the time today with a little thunder and lightning this afternoon and a strong east wind all day.
I walked to and from school.

Tuesday, March 22, 1904
It was cloudy this forenoon morning but it cleared up early and has been a nice day.
I bowled two games after school tonight.

Wednesday, March 23, 1904
It has been a very nice day and warm enough for me to go without an overcoat.
I bowled five games after school and went up after supper and bowled five more.  I got 198 and 181 for high scores but the rest were only fair.

Thursday, March 24, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and tonight before supper a high south wind came up and it rained very hard for quite a while.
I helped drive some cattle home after school tonight.

Friday, March 25, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and rather cold.
I walked to and from school and then up town again after supper.  I bowled two games (180, 146) and then went to a basket-ball game between Syc. H. S. and Waukegan H. S.  The latter won 35 to 16 but were really the best players and played like gentlemen.

Saturday, March 26, 1904
It was 17º above zero this morning and it has snowed several different times.  A cold north-west wind has been blowing and it has been partly cloudy and very cold all day.
I helped pile wood this morning for a while and then took the milk.
I bowled some this morning and also this afternoon.  I played a few games of pool this afternoon at the Commercial Club which I have made out an application of membership for.

Sunday, March 27, 1904
It was only 17º above at seven o’clock this morning but it warmed up a little during the day.  It has been partly cloudy with a cold north-west wind.
I took the milk up this morning on foot but have staid home all the rest of the day.
The roads are very rough now.

Monday, March 28, 1904
It has been a nice day only a little cloudy.
I played pool for a while after school at the club and then walked up after supper.  I played my first game of billiards tonight.

Tuesday, March 29, 1904
It has been cloudy most of the day altho the sun shone some during the afternoon.

Wednesday, March 30, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and raining most of the time although not very hard.
I played billiards for a little while at the Club after school.
I have bought two cows and one calf now from Papa with money taken from my note [as] I have been saving for a long time.  They all cost $65.  I bought one cow a few days ago and the other cow and calf this morning.

Thursday, March 31, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and raining part of the time.
I walked to and from school.  the roads are very muddy now.
I played billiards and pool for a little while at the Club after school.

Cost of Raising Chickens 1945

Abundance – a strange thing to complain about.  I have Dad’s ledgers and he kept track of everything.  The example today is the cost of keeping chickens in 1945.  In a way it’s fascinating to see the old prices and what was needed.

But I have too many of these things and have to admit that the next generation doesn’t yet care about the cost of poultry.  What can be done with them (the records, not the children)?

I’d be happy if our kids wanted the old photos and more popular items.  But what do I do with produce records, rabbit histories, and the chicken costs?

Amos Claycomb’s February 1904 Diary

Monday, February 1, 1904
It was 10º below this morning but warmed up  a little towards noon.  It has been mostly clear but a strong north-west wind is blowing and it is very cold tonight.
Grandma had a rather good night and is better today.
The sleighing continues to be very good.  there is not very much snow but the road has a foundation of ice and then a little snow.

Tuesday, February 2, 1904
It was about 9º above this morning but a strong north-west wind came up and it has been very cold all day and partly cloudy.
I walked to and from school.
The wind drifted the snow quite a little.

Wednesday, February 3, 1904
It was about 4º above this morning.  A north-west wind has blown nearly all day and this morning it snowed a little while but cleared off about noon.
Grandma is about the same today if not a little better than usual.

Thursday, February 4, 1904
It was 4º below zero this morning but warmed up and has been nice all day.
I bowled four games after school tonight.  Scores: 120, 137, 141, 130.

Friday, February 5, 190It was about 20º above zero and has been cloudy but thawing nearly all day.  A rather strong wind has been blowing from the south-west.
I took the customers’ milk up town this morning and then went up again this afternoon.
I bowled nine games in all today but did not do very well at first.  Scores:  105, 106, 110, 111, 145, 152, 155, 160, 128.

Saturday, February 6, 1904
It was 40º above this morning and has been nice all day.  In the afternoon it was over 60º above but it is raining a little tonight at half past twelve.
I walked to and from town with the milk this morning.
This afternoon at five o’clock I went to a progressive dinner given by a girls’ club.  In the middle of this we went to a basketball game between Syc. H. S. and DeKalb Normal.  Syc. won 17 to 11.
I bowled one game this afternoon and got 146.

Sunday, February 7, 1904
It was 26º above this morning out of a strong north-west wind but has been growing colder all day.
I walked to and from town this morning with the customers’ milk but then staid home the rest of the day.

Monday, February 8, 1904
The temp was 0 this morning but it has staid cold all day although clear most of the time.  A cold north-east wind blew all day and it is snowing a little at ten o’clock tonight.
I walked to and from school and after school bowled one game.  Score 141.
Aunt Georgie is going to start back home tonight at twelve o’clock as Grandma is a great deal better.

Tuesday, February 9, 1904
It snowed a little last night and for quite a while today.  The temp. was 10º above this morning and it has been partly cloudy.
I bowled five games after school.  scores: 143, 189, 122, 129, 153.
After supper I went to a home-talent show in which Louise had a part. It was fairly good.

Wednesday, February 10, 1904
It was 12º above this morning but a cold northerly wind has been blowing all day and it has been partly cloudy.
I played basketball for a little while after school tonight.
Grandma had a very good night last night and is better today.

Thursday, February 11, 1904
It was 0º this morning and has been cloudy more than half the day and snowing a little this afternoon.
I walked to and from school and bowled three games after school.  Scores 151, 162, 147.

Friday, February 12, 1904
It was 1º below zero this morning and has been a nice dal [day?] although partly cloudy with a light north wind.
I went to a basketball game after supper when both boys’ and girls’ teams of Syc. H.S. beat the boys’ and girls’ teams of Genoa H.S.
I bowled eight games in all today.  Scores: 157, 141, 171, 128, 118, 108, 133, 147.

Saturday, February 13, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today but not very cold
I piled wood most of the morning but I walked up town this afternoon and bowled four games.  Scores:  125, 149, 151, 119.

Sunday, February 14, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today with a strong north-west wind but not very cold.
I took the customers’ milk up this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.
Grandma is a little worse today being troubled by a bad cough.

Monday, February 15, 1904
It was 2º above zero this morning but a cold north wind has been blowing and it is getting very cold tonight.  The day has been mostly clear.
I walked to and from school.
Grandma is about the same today but is very bad.

Tuesday, February 16, 1904
It was 10º below zero this morning but it has been a fairly nice day.
I went to a play given by the High School pupils tonight which was very good.
I bowled two games after the play.  Scores 146, 124.
Grandma as quite a little better today.

Wednesday, February 17, 1904
It was 6º above this morning and has been partly cloudy all day.  A very strong south-east wind has been blowing and it began to snow about supper time.
I walked to and from school and bowled one game after school.  Score was 125.

Thursday, February 18, 1904
It snowed quite a little last night and has been cloudy all day although not very cold.
I bowled four games after school.  Scores: 140, 119, 138, 171.

Friday, February 19, 1904
It was 2º below zero this morning but has been very nice today.
Papa started to Monmouth tonight to stay about a week.
I walked to and from school.

Saturday, February 20, 1904
It was foggy last night and has been cloudy all day with a cold south-east wind this afternoon.  The temperature was 0 this morning.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and then brought some groceries home.
This afternoon I went up town and bowled five games.  Scores: 120, 133, 154, 127, 183.

Sunday, February 21, 1904
It snowed quite a little last night and has been snowing nearly all day.
I took the milk up to the customers this morning but have staid home all the rest of the day.
One of our best working-horses was taken sick with the colic this afternoon and I have had a doctor out twice.  He is staying here all night and he and I have been up with the horse until now it is past two o’clock.  We don’t now yet whether it will get well or not.

Monday, February 22, 1904
It was 5º below zero this morning and has been partly cloudy today with a strong cold south wind.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning.
After dinner I caught a ride up town and bowled five games.  Scores 120, 119, 139, 186, 153.
The mare that was so sick last night was a great deal better today.

Tuesday, February 23, 1904
It has been cloudy all day but melting most of the time.  It snowed a little bit just before supper.
I bowled 6 games after school but had hard luck by getting quite a few “splits” and “cherry pickings.”  Scores: 115, 128, 139, 114, 151, 157.

Wednesday, February 24, 1904
It was 10º above this morning and has been pretty cold all day.  It has been mostly clear with a medium north-west wind.
Grandma is doing fairly well now.

Thursday, February 25, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and snowing part of the time.  A very strong east wind has been blowing all day.
Bertine Robinson came out from Austin tonight to visit Louise and I took her to a show which Louise was in tonight.  It is the same one that I went to about two weeks ago.

Friday, February 26, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today.  It was cold this morning but nice this afternoon.
I bowled four games after school.  Scores:  167, 138, 147, 155.
The sleighing is very good now except on some spots on the county roads.

Saturday, February 27, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today but melting most of the time.
I took the milk up to the factory this morning and went up town after dinner.  All day I bowled 7 games.  Scores:  129, 127, 116, 127, 147, 170, 193 in order.
I drove over to DeKalb after supper with Bertine to see two basketball games between Syc. 1st and 2nd teams and Normal’s 1st and 2nd team.  Syc. was beaten in both games.

Sunday, February 28, 1904It has been partly cloudy and melting all day and now at about half past ten it is raining with a strong east wind.
I took the customers’ milk up this morning in the sleigh but have staid home all the rest of the day.

Monday, February 29, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today and colder than yesterday with an easterly wind.  I walked to school but got a ride back.
The snow is nearly all melted now.
I am milking two cows now and started Saturday night.
Bertine went back home just before dinner.
I bowled five games today.  Scores: 145, 135, 127, 157, 159.

Meeting Dad at the Train

Dad was based with Anaconda Wire &  Cable in Los Angeles and travelled by train to some of his customers.  Here my sister Jeanie is waiting to meet him at the station.  I’m guessing that it’s about 1943 or 1944.

Amos Claycomb’s January 1904 Diary

 

Friday, January 1, 1904
It has been partially cloudy all day and rather cold.
I have staid home all day but tonight I went with Louise to a dance at DeKalb and had a very nice time.

Saturday, January 2, 1904
It has been sunny nearly all day but a north wind has made it very cold.
I staid in the house most of the forenoon but this afternoon I went up town and bowled four games.  Scores 153, 125, 142, 112.
It snowed a little before daybreak last night.

 

Sunday, January 3, 1904
It has been clear all day but the temp was 13º below zero this morning and has not varied much during the day.
I walked to and from town this morning to take the customers’ milk and then staid home the rest of the day.
I only milk one cow now and use some of the extra milk for three customers whom I attend to.

Monday, January 4, 1904
It was 15º below zero this morning but it has been a very nice day.
School started again after the vacation and George started in today.
I bowled one game after school but only got 112.
This year Grandma Townsend is sending me two magazines.  One is the “Saturday Evening Post,” a weekly and the other is a monthly, the “Success.”

 

Tuesday, January 5, 1904
It was 2º above this morning but a southwest wind made it seem colder.  The sky was partly clouded.
I walked to and from school.
Eleanor started back to Lombard to school this afternoon.

 

Wednesday, January 6, 1904
It snowed a little last night and most of the time today but the snow is so fine that it does not amount to much.  There is a very heavy fog tonight.
I bowled two games after school tonight and got for scores 167 and 159.

 

Thursday, January 7, 1904
It has been cloudy nearly all day and snowing part of the time.  Until noon a south wind blew and it was pretty cold but in the afternoon the wind went around to the northwest and it became warmer with a misty rain tonight.
I played basketball for a little while after school tonight.
Grandma Townsend was suddenly taken very sick last night and it is feared that pneumonia may set in.

 

Friday, January 8, 1904
It has been partly fair and partly cloudy today and fairly warm.
Grandma T. was quite a little better today.
I bowled four games after school tonight.  Scores were 163, 159, 177, 154.

Saturday, January 9, 1904
It has been partly clear and partly cloudy today.
I took the milk up to the customers this morning but came right back.
This afternoon I went up town and bowled five games.  Scores:  147, 140, 130, 123, 159.
I went over to DeKalb after supper and bowled with the Sycamore High School team against the DeKalb H. S.  I bowled 118, 138 and 143 but were beaten over 100 pins.

 

Sunday, January 10, 1904
It has been cloudy all day and there have been a few snow flurries.
I walked to and from town this morning to take the customers’ milk and went to Sunday School.
Grandma is just about the same today.

 

Monday, January 11, 1904
It has been cloudy all day but not very cold.
I had my hair cut after school tonight.
Grandma is still very bad.

 

Tuesday, January 12, 1904
It has been snowing nearly all day and it snowed part of last night.
I bowled three games after school and got 123, 166, 152.  After supper I bowled in the High School team but lost my nerve and only got 103, 115, and 93.  After this I bowled two games and got 131 and 162.
Grandma is still very bad and hardly notices anyone.

 

Wednesday, January 13, 1904
It was cloudy and snowed till nearly noon and then partially cleared up in the afternoon.
I bowled two games after school but only getting 127 and 118.
Grandma is about the same today.

 

Thursday, January 14, 1904
It was 10º above this morning but seemed colder and it has been cloudy most of the day.
I bowled three games after school tonight.  I won all and got scores 154, 140 and 109.
Grandma was just a little better this morning.

 

Friday, January 15, 1904
It has been cloudy all day but not very cold.
I walked to and from school.
Grandma is very much worse today and is not expected to live very much longer.

 

Saturday, January 16, 1904
It has been a fairly nice day.
I took the milk up to the customers this morning but came right back and staid home all the rest of the day.
Grandma is still alive but is very bad.
Aunt Georgie came from Idaho and arrived this morning.

 

Sunday, January 17, 1904
It snowed most of the forenoon but cleared up about noon and remained so all the rest of the day.
I took the customers’ milk up this morning and ten have staid home all the rest of the day.
Grandma is about the same today.

 

Monday, January 18, 1904
It has been partly cloudy and partly fair today and a strong south-east wind has been blowing.  It was about 18º above this morning.
I bowled five games after school tonight.  scores: left-handed 57, 139, 169, 172, 187 the last four with my right hand.
Grandma is still about the same today.

 

Tuesday, January 19, 1904
It has been partly cloudy today but not very cold.  A strong southerly wind blew this morning.
Grandma was a little better today.
I bowled six games after school.  Scores: 116, 147, 140, 133, 93, 142.

 

Wednesday, January 20, 1904
It commenced to rain sometime last night and has either been raining or snowing all day.
I rode to and from school in the buggy with Papa.
Grandma is a little better today than yesterday.

 

Thursday, January 21, 1904
It barely froze last night and has been cloudy all day and raining part of the time.
I walked to and from school and after school bowled four games.  Scores: 144, 143, 108, 139.
Grandma is about the same today.

 

Friday, January 22, 1904
It has been colder today than yesterday and the walks and streets are very slippery from the rain and melted snow of the last two days.
I bowled four games after school with Uncle Will but was not much good.  Scores:  96, 112, 88, 155.
Grandma is about the same today as yesterday.

 

Saturday, January 23, 1904
It has been partly cloudy and pretty cold all day the thermometer showing below 10º all the time and it is down to zero tonight.  There is a very cold north-west wind blowing.
I staid home all the forenoon but after dinner I walked up town and bowled seven games.  Scores:  148, 128, 115, 96, 106, 114, 128.  These are very poor but I seemed to miss every chance with a little hard luck.

 

Sunday, January 24, 1904
It was 7º below this morning and is 10º below tonight but has been clear most all day.
I walked to and from town this morning to take the customers’ milk and then have staid home all the rest of the day.
Grandma is about the same today.

 

Monday, January 25, 1904
It was 20º below zero this morning and has been very cold all day although clear.
I walked to and from school.
Grandma is about the same today.
A stiff north-west wind has been blowing all day and has made the weather colder.

 

Tuesday, January 26, 1904
It was 2º below zero this morning but a cold north-west wind has been blowing all day.  It snowed a very little last night and also a little tonight about dark.
I walked to and from school.

 

Wednesday, January 27, 1904
It was 10º below zero this morning and has been partly cloudy with a light snow this afternoon.
Grandma is about the same today and is able to talk a little now.

 

Thursday, January 28, 1904
It was 4º below this morning and has been cloudy nearly all day and snowing a little.
I walked part of the way to school and all of the way back.

 

Friday, January 29, 1904
It was 7º below this morning but has been nice all day.
I went up to a basketball game in the old school tonight when both the girls and boys of the S.H.S. were beaten.  The girls by DeKalb H.S. and boys by Elgin Y.M.C.A.
I bowled 11 games in all today and got for scores 191, 142, 110, 156, 150, 115, 104, 120, 143, 142, 85.
The last was played pretty late tonight and I was very tired.
It is my birthday today and I am 18 yrs. old.  I weigh 122 now.

 

Saturday, January 30, 1904
It has been fairly warm today but partly cloudy.
I staid home all the forenoon but after dinner I went up town and bowled five games but got only poor scores which were 117, 115, 146, 119, 147.
Grandma is a little better today.

 

Sunday, January 31, 1904
It has been cloudy most of the day.  The temperature was 6º above this morning but with a strong north west wind it is getting cold tonight.  A little snow fell during the day.
I walked to and from town this morning to take the customers’ milk but staid at home all the rest of the day.
Frederick Yates was out to dinner today.Grandma had a rather bad night but is about the same today.

 

 

1910 Illinois School Postcard

 

This postcard was sent by my great-grandmother, Mary Ann Sanderson Oakland, to Mrs. Andrew Richolson.  They lived in the Lee / Stewart area of Illinois, so perhaps the school pictured is in that area, maybe even DeKalb.  With luck, someone familiar with the area will let me know!

 

Lee 5-20-10  Dear Friend, If the weather is nice, we will go home with you from Sunday school next Sunday.  With Love, Your Friend, Mrs. Oakland.

Claycomb Family 1919 Sycamore Illinois

This photo was taken at the same time as those in my post last week.

To the best of my knowledge these are the folks in it:

Back Row L-R:  Evangeline Shattuck Claycomb (2nd wife of F.E. Claycomb) holding Barbara Claycomb (daughter of Amos and Ruth)
Barbara Tapper (daughter of Will Tapper and 2nd wife Lorene Sidey)
Isabelle Peake Claycomb (wife of Edward)
Arthur B. Gochenour (husband of Eleanor Claycomb)
Jane Tapper (daughter of Will and Mary ((deceased)) Tapper)
Helen Quarles Claycomb (wife of George)
L. Ray Love (husband of Louise Claycomb)

Middle Rows L-R:  Frank E. Claycomb holding Phoebe Love (daughter of Ray and Louise)
Ruth Bressler Claycomb (wife of Amos)
(older woman below Ruth): Sarah Ann Goddard Claycomb (widow of G.W. and mother of F.E.) Matriarch of this family.
Amos Claycomb (son of F.E., husband of Ruth)
(above and to the right of Amos):  Edward D. Claycomb (son of F.E., husband of Isabelle)
Eleanor Claycomb Gochenour (daughter of F.E., wife of Arthur)
George F. Claycomb (son of F.E., husband of Helen)
Alta Louise Love (daughter of F.E., wife of Ray)

Bottom Row L-R:  John B. Claycomb (son of Amos and Ruth)
Mary Lou Gochenour (daughter of Arthur and Eleanor)
Elizabeth Love (daughter of Ray and Louise)
Ralph Claycomb (son of George and Helen)
Pete Claycomb (son of George and Helen)
George Edward (son of Amos and Ruth)
Anne T. Gochenour (holding her mother, Louise’s hand)
Frank E. Claycomb (son of Amos and Ruth)
Frank Claycomb Gochenour (son of Arthur and Eleanor)

I based the date of the photo as 1919 on young Barbara (baby in back row) who was born in December 1918.