Tues 1 - [at Aunt Anna's] Making Harriet a dress. Just at night Lib and I went down to see Matilda. Am staying with Lib tonight to Aunt Anna's.
Wed 2 - [at Hall's] Walked home in the morning. In the afternoon went over to see Jennie. She has gone to Berea. Am staying with Hattie all night.
Thurs 3 - [at home] Lib came home this morning from Mr. Hall's. Commenced a pair of under sleeves.
Fri 4 - [at home] Taking up carpets, cleaning. Janet, and Eunice and Ada have been here. Almost tired to death.
Sat 5 - [at home] Washing windows, moping, baking, and Sarah [Bennett] came over a little while this afternoon. Darius [Dry Tillotson] spent the eve here. Father has gone to the Lodge.
Sun 6 - [at home] Wrote a letter to Aunt Lucy. Lib and I went down to 7 o'clock meeting. Called to Mr. Ward's on our way home. Had a good sing with Lidi and Jim.
Aunt Lucy may have been Lucy Dana Jackson who married Jane's
Uncle Samuel Tillotson. This was the family which stayed behind in
Massachusetts. Lucy lived until 14 July 1886.
Mr. Ward may well be Jacob Ward who was the minister who founded the Methodist Church in Brunswick. Jacob Ward was born in Middletown, Connecticut on 16 September 1789. He lived in Albany, New York and Pittsfield, Massachusetts where he developed his interest in preaching. In the spring of 1817 he went to Brunswick, Ohio with his widowed sister, Rhoda Ward Stow, who served as his housekeeper. He arrived in Brunswick in April 1817 and immediately organized the first class of the M.E. Church.
In the fall of 1818, having prepared a home, he returned to Massachusetts for his parents and to get married. On 17 December 1818 he marreid Lucinda Robinson. Lucinda was a Congregationalist and "though pious and devoted to God to the extent of the instructions she had received, had not attained the deeper work of grace, and higher enjoyment to which Methodist teachings naturally tends." She converted to Methodism afterhearing her husband preach for a period of time and attending a camp meeting in Hudson, Ohio.
Jacob was an active circuit rider and church organizer during his years in Ohio and kept his home in Brunswick a headquarters for his work. In 1841 he had a fall when he stepped through an open trap door in a second floor granary. He broke his collar bone and hit his head. The fall left him deranged for a month and he suffered periodic relapses.
He continued to live in Brunswick until 1863 when he moved to Wisoncsin to live near his children who had gone there to live. Lucinda died in Wisconsin on 26 February 1869 and Jacob died on Sunday, 5 October 1869. (Rev. Alfred Brunson, A Memoir of Rev. Jacob Ward, LaCrosse, Wisc, 1870.)
Mon 7 - [at home] Washing. Had a very large one. This afternoon commenced Hattie a lawn dress. Mrs. Bryan is very sick - is crazy.
Tues 8 - [at John Root's] Ironed in the forenoon. In the afternoon I came down to John Root's to work. Here I am, lonely as I can be.
Wed 9 - [at John Root's] Have been ironing all day. Went up to the Center just at night with Mrs. [Eliza] Goodrich. Almost tired to death.
Thurs 10 - [at John Root's] Baking, moping and taking care of three cross children. Oh dear, oh dear, what a life I have to live.
Fri 11 - [at John Root's] Doing housework and sewing some. How it rains. Will it ever stop.
Sat 12 - [at home?] Cleaning house. Baked 7 pies, two loaves of bread and Leonard came down after me. Lib has gone to Berea.
Sun 13 - [at home] Have been at home all day. It rained all the forenoon so that we did not go to church. Jennie has been here. Lib has just come at 8 o'clock.
Mon 14 - [at John Root's] Here I am at Mr. Root's lonely as I can be. Have been washing. Mr. and Mrs. [John W.] Morten are here. Flora is sick.
Tues 15 - [at Root's] Baked and ironed. Went up home just at night with Leonard. Lib is most dead with the tooth ache. Flora is ... Dr. Summers is here.
Wed 16 - [at Root's] Ma and Lib went up to the Doctor's in the morning. Lib had her tooth drawn. Called as she came back to help me wash. Had a very large one. Flora is no better.
Thurs 17 - [at home] Done up the work to Mr. Root's, then left for home. Have been sewing on Hattie's dress. Father and Mother have gone to Aunt [Milly] Warner's.
Fri 18 - [at home] Lib and I have been doing housework and sewing. Mother is not coming home until Saturday. Lib and I have been over to see Jennie. It is 10 o'clock.
Sat 19 - [at home] Moping, churning, and Lib and I have been up to see Eun (Eunice?). Had a good time. Leonard has been after Ma. Oh how glad, for we shant have to get breakfast.
Sun 20 - [at home] Lib, Put and Chub went to Beebetown to meeting. Got home, found Miles [Tillotson] here, went down to the school house, had a good sing. Lib and I went to carry Miles home. Had a good ride. Rather late home -- 11 o'clock.
Mon 21 - [at home] Washing, churning, Ma has been sick all day with sick head ache. Had an invite for the 4th [of July activities]. Don't go that load, no sir.
Tues 22 - [at home] Lib and I have been down to town to have our pretty faces put on leather. This eve have been to Mr. Horton's to sing. Had a good time.
Why Jane did not accept an invitation to celebrate the 4th of July I don't know. She did not usually turn down social opportunities.
I don't know what it meant to "have faces put on leather." Perhpas they were going to have a portrait painted or sketched.
Wed 23 - [at Mr. Hall's] Sewing, altering Lib a dress. Put went and carried Lib and I to Shiloh. Walked back to the Hall's. Had a good visit with Will -- had his company home.
Thurs 24 - [at home] Came home from Mr. Hall's before breakfast. Have been sewing this eve. Becca [Goodrich] and Dry have been here. Becca is staying all night with me.
Fri 25 - [at home] Have not done much. It is too warm to work. This eve have been down to Aunt Clara's to visit with Henry Warner and lady/Sady? Don't think she is much.
Sat 26 - [at home] Doing Saturday's work. Uncle Seth [Thomas] has been here. Has gone to Liverpool. Wrote a letter to [sister] Eliza. Father has gone to the Lodge.
Sun 27 - [at home] Stayed at home until 4 o'clock meeting. Lib, Louisa, and Chub went. Was not many there. Jennie and Dry was here to tea. Lewis is here.
Aunt Clara was either the wife of William Warner or Seth Thomas who both lived in Liverpool. William Warner was possibly the father of Jane's Uncle Lucius Warner and Seth Thomas was her uncle, brother of her mother.
Mon 28 - [at home] Have been washing. Bill Freese has been here for me to go there to work. Can't go. Father and Mother have been down to Matilda's. Just got home -- 10 o'clock.
Tues 29 - [at home] Helped Ma do up the work, then went over to Mr. Bryan's to spend the day. Fixed over my dress and had a good visit. What a good girl Jennie is.
Wed 30 - [at home] Ironed, moped and at 6 o'clock Louisa, John, Sarah and Chub started for Berea. Sarah only went as far as the store. 10 o'clock. Almost tired to death.
Bill Freese was Bill William's Freese, jr. who was married to
Jane's cousin, Tryphena Tillotson, daughter of Uncle Dan. Bill was
the grandson of Abraham Freese who had explored and surveyed
Brunswick long ago in 1795. He had come back with his family as one
of the early settlers of Brunswick. Along with Abraham, came his son
Bill Williams (Billy) Freese and his wife, Sally. They had been
married in 1800. The youngest of their seven children was Bill
Williams, jr. who was eight years older than Jane. There are several
times when Jane mentions going to work at the Freese's or Bill coming
to work for them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last revision: 30 December 1997
Get your own Free Home
Page