1894 HANDWRITTEN DIARY/Rock County/Johnstown/Wisconsin

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1894 HANDWRITTENDIARY ---------------------- This auction is for a 113 YEAR OLD antique diary / journal / manuscript -The woman who wrote the diary was MALINDA L. BALL .... I believe she lived in or near JOHNSTOWN, ( R ock County ), WISCONSIN. A wonderful ebayer provided me with some interesting information on MALINDA L. BALL.Malinda was born November 9, 1829.Malinda's husband died on March 11, 1866. They had two daughters, Rosaline and Carrie.A 1870 census indicates that the BALL family was living in JOHNSTOWN, ROCK COUNTY, WI. - At that time, the household consisted of: Malinda, 40, born NY; Charles born in MI, farm worker; Rosaline, 10; Carrie, 8; a farm hand; and Royal Bryant, 46, clergyman, brother of mom (Malinda). This is a wonderful one-of-a-kind diary! It has a total of 354 handwritten entries, ALSO INCLUDED is a letter, dated 1894, written to Malinda from her grandson who lived in Chicago, IL.He writes of going to college and of what a successful draftsman he's becoming,as well of his family news. Wisconsin diaries from this era are sooo RARE! Malinda writes of her daily activities, quilting, sewing, callers, trips to the store, making soap, local news, marriages, births, sickness,deaths, funerals, of being lonesome, etc ....She also wrote a lot about her daughter Carrie & her husband Joseph -It seems that they lived with her, and that Joseph was a grave digger! Malinda is a poor speller, but that just adds to the diary's antique charm ... A Wonderful Piece of Wisconsin & American History! are a few partial entries taken from the diary: " ....... Joseph helped Mr Stone dig a grave for Mr Seaver, brought from Millwaka ..... Mrs Mack visited us morning, Mr Mack went to Harrie Louks trial for steling wood .... Joseph has been home and round town all day. Carrie made an underwaist. I riped up an old dress and made an apron for Carrie. It is her birthday. I gave her a tablecloth ..... We commenced seting my basket quilt together ..... Went to the store with Carrie, got groceries. She went to Mr Homes, got her a blue calico dress and rappers. Joe a frock ..... Henery Osborn and Ollie visited us, it is Joseph birthday, 37. Last evening their was a contest at Johnstown. Florence Wheeler got the prize. A book of the Worlds Fair .... An agent came selling carpet stretchers, Carrie bought one .... We heard that Mr Ashton had died with the smallpox, the man that was tried for the murder of Mrs Stone ..... Joe sold a carpet tacker and cut a little wood. Mr Fort died at 11 oclock tonight. Joseph helped lay him out ..... I went with Clark and Laura to Lima to Mr Abiatha Johnsons funeral. It was at Johnstown Church. Elder Sanborn preached, I saw a good many old friends ..... Anna Green came, she and Edna went to Janesville with Mr Macks horse and buggy .... I heard Mrs Fort was dieing and I went their - The old lady is still alive .... I went to Mrs Halls at six oclock this morning, her mother is alive yet. Is grately distressed for breath. Her sister Mrs Homes came at nine, I went home. Carrie washed. I went again at 5., she died at four .... Daisy Binghams babe was buried this afternoon at Johnstown ..... Doctor Borden fell at the school house this morning and hurt him quite bad .... We dun housework, I went to Mr Palersters store, bought a tin pail and other articules - Mr Fravers child got drowned in cistern .... Joseph came home with Mr Clelands horse and buggy this morning, he cleaned out the cistern and mended it, cleared up brite this afternoon, he and Carrie went to see the horse and colt ..... Mr and Mrs James Vincent Babe was buried this morning at 10 oclock. Their was 24 teams in the funeral prosesion ..... Deck Greys little girl died this morning, her name was Agnes ..... I went to Mrs Seavers to the Union, we made scrap books to send to the lumberman . .. .. ." Some of the names she mentions in the diary are: Lyle Hudson ~ Mr Stone ~ Edna Green ~ John Fetherstone ~ Mrs Bingh... read more

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