Torrence Diary - 1875

Jan. 4 - Hugh brought Mother yesterday, Sabbath. Spent a long time talking to the three older children about the proper method of spending their time, especially on the Sabbath. They all intend to “turn a new leaf.”

Jan. 8 - Terrible cold, high wind. Papa took extra clothing and brought the children home. Almost everything in cellar is frozen.

Jan. 19 - I went to Mr. Christian’s to get my feet measured for a new pair of shoes. It is the first time since Father died. We are all reading a book on Mormonism by Mrs. Steinhouse, a wonderful tale, heartrending.

(most of Feb & March unreadable.)

Apr. 10 - Our new frame of a cow came from Mr. McKea’s today. The cow that died was as large as two of her. Third quilt ready for quilting.

Apr. 12 - School commenced. Made Nellie her first copy book. Willie has just come in crying, saying, “The cow looked at me troo (through) the fence.” He amuses Gracie by asking her, “What loo (you) wantie, Dacie?” and repeating, “Talk to me, Dacie.” She is very interesting, is learning to eat bread and milk, often has colic. I think she is the hardest child to get along with. She is 4 and a half months now.

Apr. 13 - Took our bed out of front room, put children’s bed upstairs. I walked to Station, several errands.

June 29 - Papa returned after a three months absence, our longest separation since our marriage. Gracie can now sit alone; when he left she could not sit propped up in her chair. Papa has at last, we hope, found us a home where we can live together as a family. It will be a trial to leave this but we gladly accept the opportunity for him.

July 4 - Grace Elvina baptized by L.D. Whitham at Florence, Iowa.

July 10 - Papa left on Thursday evening for Rankin, Ill., he took a trunk and box of goods. He is to come for us about the middle of August. We are very lonely but hope it is our last separation this side of the final one. We will now try to get ready to go. The raspberries keep us so busy drying them. We gathered the carrots today, drying them also. Have had three days of dry weather.

July 11 - I went to the Station today and bought 2 one-quart and 2 two-quart can tins for us to take with us.

July 12 - Haying this week. Weather pleasant. There is a case of Small Pox near the Station. Dr. Smith came Monday morning and vaccinated all of us that are here. Papa not here. It is doing well on N. and W. Jimmie did not take.

July 29 - Sold cow to Mrs. Thompson for $28 with strainer and slop bucket.

Sept. 30 - Sick with cold. Sent money order to Papa $50.

Aug. 2 - Smith revaccinated all of us. Gracie took bad with diarrhea. We get milk from the cow we sold but she is in a weedy pasture. We get a pint night and morning.

Aug. 16 - Gracie sick at stomach since Wed. night. She takes constant care; I think she is teething. The flesh is going off her fast. My cold and cough is bad too. I am only able to mope about through the day, do not get much sleep nights. Mr. Lenan bought our buggy. His horse looks so much like the one we last owned that when he drove off I felt badly knowing it was the last time I would see it, and it looked so like Papa driving away it makes me long anew to be with him. Papa writes that the carpenters are commencing on our house, the 3rd house we have put up. The Widow Johnson gave me $3 today for Papa’s visit and funeral services.

Aug. 17 - Jimmie busy peddling off chickens these days. Sometimes he brings in 15 lbs. flour from the mill. He gets shavings at the carpenter shop. N. arose this morning at 5 to go to Mr. Lenan’s for the babe’s milk. We feel the need of the cow. There was a young squaw and her grandmother on the 12th of Aug. They were the first Indians Willie ever saw. He sat at my back for a while but before they left he picked up a cucumber and gave it to them, then gave them flowers. We gave them potatoes, bread and a chicken.

Aug. 18 - Walked to Station, looked at cook stoves.

Aug. 26 - Papa came home from Rankin. We are now to pack and go with him on the 8th of Sept. Fri. and Sat. we cut and sewed 5 lbs. of carpet rags.

Aug. 31 - We have 4 boxes packed.

Sept. 2 - Mr. and Mrs. Higgins came to bid us goodbye. Bought some furniture. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon and Mary Johnson were all here. Papa and I went to the Station in Mr. Johnson’s buggy. Took crocks. Paid for carpet weaving $3.

Sept. 8 - Busy day. More than once I wondered whether we could finish packing in time to get to the train by 7 p.m. Mr. Johnson had sent us an invitation to take supper with them. We greatly desired to do so and to have a while to chat with them. Mother and the children got over there about 5 o’clock, but Papa, Mary and I just got there in time to eat a bite in a hurry and away to the Station to appear before the Squire for a minute and transfer our home to its original owner, Mr. Johnson. It was then fully train time but the train did not come till near midnight. There we were at the dirty depot, only a half mile from our own comfortable bed in our now deserted home. We could not go to it.

Sept. 20 - We left many things we would like to have brought with us. We bid goodbye the previous day to Martha and her family (husband Hugh and three children) and now we are saying goodbye to all familiar faces except our own family and Mother. After our long delay in getting started, our trip was prosperous. Arrived here in Rankin, Illinois at 7:30 the next evening. We had spent 5 and a half years peaceably and in most respects, pleasantly at Florence, Iowa. We lived 6 years at Fairfax, the last 2 were very unpleasant, on account of the congregational quarrel. Many tender ties are broken on leaving our Iowa home, but we now try to forget the old house and home and live for those we love. For the last 4 years I have had but little society of my dear and much loved husband, now I am hoping to be close to him again, hoping that naught but death may separate us, and earnestly praying and hoping almost against hope that maybe so far in the future that our little ones may come to maturity at least.

The people here received us kindly so that we do not so much miss the “leeks and onions” (our garden), but we think often of it and the beautiful flowers. We stopped with Wm. Guthries the first week, since that we have been living in two rooms of our house, not plastered. On Monday after we came, Mr. T. was installed pastor of this congregation. We are now settled in a manner in our new home. I will not need to write long letters to Papa anymore, but will feel like writing to Mary and Martha. Yesterday Mr. McCormic brought us a sack of potatoes, a great tub of tomatoes, a peck of ripe grapes, some sweet potatoes, a jug of milk and some butter, so we are busy this week putting up for winter.

Sept. 23 - Been very busy since coming here. Have only written two hasty letters. We spent the afternoon of Monday, all day Tuesday and Wednesday forenoon putting up grapes and tomatoes. Washed today. Have had three frosts this week. We are cold in these rooms. I found time to spend a few minutes out with Papa today planning our outbuildings and outdoor work.

Sept. 28 - Nettie sick since Sabbath morning. Very high fever most of the time. Mother is bad with her diarrhea but able to be around. I have been ill since Saturday evening, am feeling better this evening for the first time. We are doctoring ourselves with pills and a fever remedy. We got a team of horses from Mr. Sloan yesterday, $75. Children in great glee.

Oct. 9 - The plasterers have gone, they work a little, get us in a mess and then quit. The lower rooms are done except the two we are living in. Cistern is dug, some of the grading done. Carpenter finishing off. I drove out to the Johnson families twice this week, horses were so merry last night I do not think I will drive them again soon. Nettie has been better and worse. She had a hard shake on Friday night last week. She is asleep now. Sits up a good part of the time. The rest of us are reasonably well.

Oct. 16 - Plasterers finished the main part of the house on Thursday. We were all out on that day at Mr. McCormic’s. It rained on us coming home. The painters put on the priming coat on Wed. on the outside of the house. Carpenters not done yet. Friday we all cleaned and today we finished mopping every room in the house. We feel better but we are still very dirty. Our hands are very sore. Ella’s and mine look terrible bad and are painful. Dentist filled tooth for Papa Wednesday; we did our first churning that day. Nettie is better today. No chills or fever.

Oct. 25 - Had two girls here today scrubbing and sandpapering the kitchen floor, we then oiled it. Some of the rooms are painted and ready to be used. Mrs. Nelson helped clean windows a week ago today. I gave her one dollar and today I gave one girl 50 cents and the other one a dollar, and for her other help 50 cents, in all $3 for 4 day’s work.

Nov. 3 - We moved into the new kitchen on Monday after washing. School commenced the same day.

Nov. 10 - Very cold. Ground frozen. The plasterer commenced on the two rooms yesterday.

The mortar froze last night so he is not to work today. We have had a fire in our sitting room since Saturday. Our stove is called the Rotary. Papa and I called on Mr. Brown one evening last week and at Mrs. Irving’s last night. Gracie has two upper teeth; she is most a year old.

Nov. 18 - Papa, Mother, J., W. and Gracie and I visited Mrs. McCauley. Got some beef and cabbage.

Nov. 22 - Horse lame all last week. Papa, with W. and I, took dinner with Mr. Garner. Got a hen, some pork, eggs and molasses.