Diary of

Perry Watts King

1874

Sullivan County

Pennsylvania

Perry Watts King was born January 22, 1853 at Laporte, Sullivan County, Pa. He was a school teacher. He attended the Susquehanna Collegiate Institute, Towanda, PA and John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, graduating in March 1884, with a doctorate degree in medicine. He never married and died December 6th 1889 at the early age of 36 of pneumonia.

All of Perry’s siblings are mentioned in his diary except his oldest brother Oliver Gordon King. Oliver was killed during the Civil War at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia on May 3, 1863. The battle was fought May 1 to May 4. Oliver was 21 years old when he was killed and Perry was 10. Perry was the 5th child of nine born to William E. King and Sara Robinson Converse King. William E. King was the son of John I. King, who was born in Nasby, Northamptonshire, England in 1770 and came to the United States in the 1790s, and Alice Crosby King, also from England, born in 1783 at Maidwell, Northamptonshire. They had 8 children. Additional information about the King ancestry can be obtained at William E. King and Descendants.

Sara Robinson Converse King was the daughter of Joseph Converse, a widower, and Susannah Earl Edgar Converse, a widow. He had two daughters and two sons and she had two sons who grew to adulthood; together they had five daughters. One son was named Henry and is referred to as "Uncle Henry Converse" in the diary. The story of Joseph Converse and Susannah Converse and their children is told in more detail in Faces and Families of Sullivan County: Group Two on the Sullivan County Genealogical Site at www.rootsweb.com/~pasulliv.

The diary was written with brief notes, and very little punctuation or too faded to see. He capitalized words that were important to him, not always at the beginning of a sentence. Misspelled words were left as is and one racial word, though very offensive and also spelled wrong, was left as is because in 1874 the word was used without malice. The writing was good on many pages but on others extremely hard to read, even under a magnifying glass. I hope the interpretation is correct, especially the names. A (?) was used when in doubt and _______when a word could not be read. Curiously, at the top of many pages, Perry kept a record of the meals he had that day, when he boarded at 12 cents per meal.

Perry’s diary is a work in progress so help would be appreciated. There are several pictures of Perry's family, which will be posted below. At the time this story was first posted, there were no known pictures of him. My grandmother Bertha King Houseknecht, niece of Perry, had a nice album, but it was passed to her oldest daughter Rachel who died in 1993 and since then could not be located. However, we have since then recoverd addtional pictures, including that of Perry above, and hope to be able to post more as time goes by.

The King family homestead was eventually sold to the Reese family, then a fire destroyed the old house. This diary was found in the rafters after the fire by a Reese family memeber who could not read it. He gave the document to John Little who preserved it for posterity. A picture or copy of a picture of Perry, or any information on people mentioned in Perry Watts King's diary would be of interest. Please contact me at:

Nancy Devereaux Powers
PO Box 148
Laporte, PA 18626
April 2001

Surnames in Perrys Diary:

January 1874

Perry Watts King

One year in the life of a fine young man at the age of 21.

Laporte, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

Editor's Preface: Off 220 at Laporte, heading toward Nordmont you will come to Little Road - go about a mile and you will see on the right an old stone wall. This was the King farm where Perry lived. If you continue about a mile on Little Road you will come to Henry Road. This was the Little farm now belonging to Henry and Charlotte Little. Charlotte’s mother was Bertha King Houseknecht. The King home was lost to fire but Perry’s diary was saved and given to the Little family. Read this with hopes we are forgiven for the intrusion into his private thoughts, for it is a wonderful account of life in 1874. The hard work ethic, their faith through very sorrowful times, the closeness and support of family and neighbors is a true account of the sturdy people that settled here.

January 1st 1874 (Thursday)

Taught school all day. Helped catch fish in the morning and killed them with the ax. The Muncy Creek was frozen over good and sound a good many places so it would bear a man to skate on it. Mr. George Wash. Anderson was married to a Daughter of Thomas Phillips at the brides house by Rev. Burnley. Tom McClintock was to the wedding and they had a dance at night. That is the way to do up the business in Sullivan County.

January 2nd (Friday)

Go up to Joel Glidwell to stay over night, very ruff walking for the mud was about 2 inches deep all the way and sometimes deeper, find a horseshoe near Ben Taylors. Thomas S. McClintock was to the infare of G. W. Anderson as so was Ril. Walked all the way up to Joel Glidwell to the infair also. Oh what delight it must be to get married and be a man. Snow all gone and the creek begins to raise.

January 3rd (Saturday)

Staid at Joel Glidwells till about 9 o’clock and then start for home. Go across by Gavetts new ground and up our big run house at about 10:30 in forenoon. Ward and Harvey (brothers) are cutting wood for to sell. S. B. K. (brother Stanley) is a laying on the lounge almost all the time. Ward goes over to Debate at night and I rode Dan Horse out to Laporte after some Oysters but did not receive any for they had none. Bought some books of Wm. Meylert, $1.20 worth and Ward is to pay for them with wood. I sleep with

S. B. King. He is sick till after midnight. (tuberculosis - consumption)

Ward Lafayette age 19 in 1874

John Harvey age 14

Stanley Bigiman age 24

January 4th (Sunday)

Have 1 meal

Stay at home till after dinner and then Father brings me as far as John Glidewells Road end a Horseback. Arrive a little after dark, very muddy walking. Joseph Pennington, C. D. Gansel, J. P. Little and Wooden Speary came to see our people. Joseph and Wood stay till after dinner and then Speary goes down to T. L. Little. E..C. King (brother Edgar Crosby age 29) came home Saturday night and will stay till after there comes some more snow and then he will go back to the woods to work for H. L. Spearin.

January 5th (Monday)

Have 3 meals

Rain all day and the creek is high , not very many scholars for it is Rainy. Nothing very important going on. Lafayette owns 3 farms and a sawmill, 4 horses, 2 yoke of oxen and 5 cows, 8 young cattle 5 calves, 40 sheep , 8 hogs and lots of other things to numerous to mention, only about 60 chickens, 6 turkeys 3 geese and they have sold an amount of Turkey and chickens. Lafayette owns the Sleigh

January 6th (Tuesday)

Three meals

Rain all day. Visitors George Convers, George Laurenson. Laurenson made a short address to the scholars and myself.

January 7th (Wednesday)

Three meals

Rain all day more or less so the men could not work in the woods very much. Had visitors at school. William McClintock Senior, George Laurenson, Arthur Bennett, William Rodgers.

January 8th (Thursday)

Two meals

M. E. Church has 86 seats and each seat will hold about 4 or 5

Towanda

January 9th (Friday)

Two meals

Teach school and then go over to Beaver Dam at night. Stay with John McClintock, have a good time with the boys doing all manner of Tricks. The Beaver Dam is about 1 mile long and not very wide though it was not frozen over and it looked nice. They have a saw mill right below the Beaver Dam and they have water, enough water to saw all the time. The Family is not very small, 4 boys and 2 girls.

Mr. Kitchen had a wood spell. There was 5 there to work.

January 10th (Saturday)

Go from John McClintocks to George Philipes, got an order for one months hay, and then from there to Uncle Hardings and stay there till after dinner and then Ed. goes to Lairdsville a horse back and I saddle to go to John Frontzs but he was not at home and so came Home without seeing him or getting my order signed, got back before dark. Very fine day and no snow, very muddy.

January 11th (Sunday)

At Hardings all day or till about 5 o’clock and then came down to Lafayettes, it was after dark a little, no snow or sleighing. George Edkins owns 3 horses and about 3 or 4 hundred acres of land. Edmund and I was a visiting Sunday and had our dinner. (Lafayette’s last name is McClintock)

January 12th (Monday.) 3 meals

January 13th (Tuesday)

Had 3 meals

Teach school all day. Have one new schollar, his name is George Long. Boy age 11 years. Have 12 schollars. Very cold day, creek is freezing all of the time. Snowing at night. Read History till after

9 o’clock and I then go to bed, sleep alone. Sell Mary J. Fiester my new Grammar for 45 cents and there by gain 35 cents., it was Smith Grammar made in the year 1854, it is now 20 years old The roads are very bad for ruff (?) but snow will cover it all up and make it all right in a little while.

January 14th (Wednesday)

Have 2 meals

Go with out dinner, go down to Joseph McClintocks a little while at noon and have a drink of cider, come back to school alone. After school go and help Wm. McClintock get one of Kitchens sheep home, one that the dogs had bit. It was across the creek from George Edkins on the side hill. We caught the sheep and then took it up the hill as straight as we could or we would have fallen. There is about 7 inches of snow and it looks like winter but most everybody uses wagons yet.

January 15th (Thursday)

Have 2 meals

Teach school all day. Very cold and some snow, some use wagons and some use sleds. Have only a small school. Thomas McClintock was to school from recess in the afternoon till night. Harriet Welliver has gone home to stay and so she will be out of school. She lived at Ben Taylors’ and worked for a living. When she goes home they will have to get someone else done (?) with our dinner.

January 16th (Friday)

Had 2 meals

Go up to Elk Lick to meeting at night. Rev. Burnley preached, not very many to meeting. I went home with William M. Stephens to stay all night and till 9. I had the pleasure of walking all the way up to Elk Lick. I bought a pair of gum shoes at Armstrongs for $1.00. Got some crackers & cheese at Robert Whitaker for my supper, they cost 5 cents. Sleighing is very poor or almost none at all. When a man goes a foot he can always get a chance to walk.

January 17th (Saturday)

Came home about 11 o’clock. Father and Mother have gone to Laporte. S. B. King is able to set up some of the time. Our folks have got a bedroom fixed for him so he need not go upstairs.

January 18th (Sunday)

Was at home most all day. Mr. Gansel was to see our folks also Penningtons. I was down to see Jesse P. Little, he has got the measles so he quit teaching school and came home to be sick. I am glad that I have had them so I will not get them again. All of us boys was home for dinner but do not know when we will be together again. Went to meeting at night at Elk Lick. Mr. Gansel & Mr. Stephens

January 19th (Monday)

Have 2 meals

Have school 3/4 of day from recess in forenoon till night or all day , just as the people have a mind to tell it. Very rainy day. Started from L. M. King’s (brother Lemuel Mordecai) in the morning and got down to Sonestown by day light or before, stopped there about 2 hours and then came down to school. Came home for dinner and was as wet as a drowned rat. Had a visitor to school named Wm. McClintock. I walked every step of the way down. (brother L. M. age 26 in 1874)

January 20th (Tuesday)

Have 3 meals

Teach school , have 11 scholars, very cold all day. Everybody hawlin (?) Clara Fiester goes up to Ben Taylor to work for her board and go to school from there. I helped T. S. McClintock load a load of lumber at night. Have a slight touch of the headache. Go to Kitchens in the morning before breakfast, also build the fire in the morning. Go to bed at 9 o’clock

January 21st (Wednesday)

Have three meals

Teach school, have 9 schollars and 1 visitor in afternoon, George Laurenson, Snow in the night of about 2 inches then rain all day, very slow though no teams a hauling for it is bad weather. I arise at 5 o’clock in the morning, have a slight touch of headache but not of the bad kind. Mr. McClintock and Hatti Crawley complaining of being sick so as not to work.

January 22nd (Thursday)

Have 3 meals

Teach school all day, fine day. Go up to Colonel Fiester in evening a while , they are quilting a quilt for Rev. Burnley, it is red and white They would put any bodies name on it for 25cents - that does not pay hardly - sold Fiester a stencil plate for 50 cents. We played all manner of tricks such as to lift the chair leg front round and lift it from the wall - the length of your foot from chair and all the tricks we could think of. George Conners skinned his nose with the chair. Came home a little after 10 o’clock and then study till midnight and get up the next morning at 5 o’clock or before.

January 23rd (Friday)

Have 2 meals

and then go home at night, is very soft walking, no snow and the creek is very high. Ward came down to meet me and took me home on horse. He met me at Robert Taylors barn and then we stopped at T. G. Littles a little while and had our supper. Jos Edgar is working for him. They most all have the measles but not very hard I guess. We got home about 8 o’clock . Stanley is very sick, just able to set up about an hour at a time. Asa Speary, Dorson Speary and Amos Little was to see him.

(brother Ward Lafayette King , age 19 in 1874 was educated in Laporte, then Orangeville Academy., and the Mansfield Normal School. He graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore in 1880. He took post graduate work at the old Philadelphia Polyclinic. He practiced medicine in Lairdsville, Hughesville, and Muncy Pa. He was one of the founders of the Muncy Valley Hospital, Muncy , PA. )

January 24 (Saturday)

Am at home all day, help Mother sew on her cloak in the fore noon and in afternoon help cut wood up in the woods. We cut 24 cuts off a maple tree for the house stove. E. C. King (brother Edgar Crosby) is at home all of the time to wait on S. B. King . He cut 2 stencil plates for Fiesters. Father went to Laporte in the afternoon. Mr. Wm. Meylert was out to see S. B. King. He brought him some Graham bread and talked & prayed with him. Edgar is at home all of the time. Snow about 1 inch. You do not know how

much pain S. B. King has nor can any till they have.

(Edgar Crosby King was 29 in 1874. He was studying to be a minister when he came home to be with his sick brother)

January 25th (Sunday)

I am at home till most night then Ward brought me as far as across all the creek near Charles Glidwells and then he went back and I came to F. Taylors and staid over night. Mr. Kohensparger & Daughter, Amos Little, Jo Edgar, Joel Glidwell and wife, L. M. King (brother) Arthur B. & Milton Botsford was to see S. B. K.. He is so he can sit up a part of the time, about 1/2 hour. His appetite has failed him so he can scarcely eat anything. He can eat boiled milk and a very few other things but as long as there is life there is hope and that is all we can do now.

January 26th (Monday)

Have 3 meals

Get up and build the fire and stay till about 7 o’clock and then start for Mr. McClintocks, get there at about 8 o’clock, have my breakfast and then go to school . Have 8 scholars, very cold day and not enough snow to use the sled. Go up to Mr. Edkins mill after some lumber to make me a chair, carried it from Edkins mill to Lafayetts and left it by the wagon shed. Lafayette has a boy living with him by the name of Port Cox - he is about 13 years old , he is a very villain to work boy for he has no folks or least he does not live at home.

January 27th (Tuesday)

Have 2 meals - snowing

January 28th (Wednesday)

Teach school all day.

January 29th (Thursday)

Have 3 meals

January 30th (Friday)

Have 2 meals

Teach school and then go up to L. M. Kings (brother) at night, had to walk all of the way, stopped Sonestown about 1 hour.

January 31st (Saturday)

Go home from L. M. Kings up by way T. L. Little where he is floating logs. Edgar (brother) is a helping him for one day. I get home at about 11 o’clock. S. B. King is Failing fast. Clara Gansel, Mary Fiester and James Gansel was there for dinner and T. M. Pennington, Amos Little a short time only. I went out to Laporte at night a little while, rode the bay horse out. I bought a pound of crackers. There is no sleighing now. Protracted(?) meeting commences at sugar H------(?) Albright meeting. John Smiths folks have the measles. Preacher Burnleys daughter has the measles also, it is not very pleasant.

(Albright meeting connected with the United Methodist Church and Albright College, Reading, Pa.)

February 1st. (Sunday)

Home - Our Folks are all well as common except S. B. K. & He is very low. Mr. Cary, Wife &

Sister-in-law was to see him also Jess Little stopped a little while, he was on his way to school. Ward brought him and me as far as the Fargo place and then I came a foot the rest of the way. Stopped at Mr. Whitakers to mail a letter & then at Andrew Glidwells to see Dr. Nol & tell him to go up and see Stanley and he promised to go up in the morning. I got down to my school house before preaching.

February 2nd (Monday)

Have 2 meals

Teach school

Go up to Ira Rodgers at night a little while and from there to Mr. McCullaghs & had my supper and stayed till about 9 o’clock and then went back to Mr. McClintocks to stay over night. Mr. McCullagh played on the Banjo for the amusement of the Boys and myself. They have quite a family, Mr. John Laurenson and John & wife, Frank and 7 children, the oldest one is about 7 years old. It is snowing some now of about 7 inches and still snowing yet. The creek is frozen over a great many place.

February 3rd (Tuesday)

Have three meals

Teach school, there are about 6 inches of snow, not very many teams a haulin. I wrote a letter to King and one to Rev. Burnley of Sonestown. I go down to Joseph McClintocks after school is out a little while to see his son that is sick. Stay till almost dark and then go up to Lafayette for my supper, meet Henry Converse a going home. He has been up to Laporte after his sleigh but did not get it because it was lent out but Clark said he would send it down by the stage for nothing, he had his horse fed for nothing.

February 4th (Wednesday) Teach school

February 5th (Thursday)

Have three meals, Teach school all day. Hattie and Rile stay at home. Rile is making a new dress. Snow is about 3 inches deep.

February 6th (Friday)

Teach school - Have 2 meals. Ward came down to school at night with the horse and sled and then I let school out at 1/2 past 3 and then Ward and me went up Mr. Kitchens and bought 7 sheep, 3 of them was bucks and we paid 13 dollars for them, came home at night, found S. B. King very sick but he knew and shook hands and kissed for the last , that was at night . E. C. King (brother Edgar Crosby) and A Little waited on him all night. J. W. Gansel, C. L. Gansel came here at about 2 o’clock and they was about as good as wooden men and not as much in the way. That is the last night our dear boy lived with us and he was in great pain all night and had to be turned and rubbed.

February 7th (Saturday)

S. B. King sat up in a chair long enough to have his bed made, that was in the morning. Edgar carried him from bed to chair. The Dear good boy knew everybody, even Uncle Thomas King . He could scarcely talk for his feet were getting cold, he is not able to eat anything but drink water and that tastes good and sweet to him. At from 5 to 6 o’clock the last few breaths was drawn. He died at just 6 o’clock in afternoon.

February 8th (Sunday)

Are at home all day, several people there. Amos Little goes to Laporte to get a coffin made and then to get the shrouding and then he came back and had his dinner then went to Dushore for Trimmings for coffin , got back a little after dark. James Gansel went to the Elklands to tell our Friends , he got there by dark or after. Mrs. Gansel, Mrs. Sinclair, Mrs. Little made the shroud. He wished to be buried in white, so it was done.

February 11th (Wednesday)

Edgar and Ward go to there business. Edgar to the wood and Ward to Laporte to musical convention. He takes his dinner along, Harvey, (brother , age 14 in 1874) Benny and Maria (twin brother and sister age 12 in 1874) go to school. I go to school to visit Jane Law, teacher, stay till 11 o’clock then go to Uncle Penningtons.

February 12th (Thursday)

Stay at home all day. Ward bought him a new singing book for 75 cents to learn to singin but books are the thing to learn in. Jesse P. Little teaches School over by Mr. Kings and Boards at Kings. He is learning German as fast as he can. The snow is almost gone and the ground is thawing. The lumberer will feel sorry but it can’t be helped and so they talk of giving me the Job for this winter.

February 13th (Friday)

Stay at home all day. Very rainy all day. Edgar takes a bail of hay to Mr. Spearins and Ward is out to Laporte to singing concert. Father was out to Laporte a while. The snow is going very fast.

February 14th (Saturday)

Stay at home all day . Just one week ago today our dear Brother Stanley left us to try an unknown world.

February 15th (Sunday)

Stay at home all day or part anyhow. Joseph Pennington was to see us. I dreamed some about S. B. K. last night but not very satisfactory. Came down to teach school. Rev. Burnley

February 16th (Monday)

Teach school.

Have 3 meals

Nothing particular happens. Only George Sane(?) is sick with lung fever. Thomas McClintock and myself go up to see him at night - we staid about 1 hour and then came back. He is at Mr. Ben Taylors up stairs over the front room.

February 17th (Tuesday)

Teach school. Have three meals . Mr. Kitchen have a vender, go up after school is out but do not buy anything for others wanted them worse than I did.

February 18th. (Wednesday) Have 3 meals

February 19th (Thursday)

Teach school Have 2 meals. Go up to Fiesters at night and spend the evening and then come back to stay at night, it was as dark as pitch, very fine day.

February 20th (Friday)

Have 2 meals

Teach school all day, fine day , snow all gone. I go up to Joseph Frenches (?) at night till after breakfast and then go out and look at a pine tree and then from there to Mr. George Philips and he was not at home . I then went to Lairdsville found him there and had him do his business at the store and then I came up to Mr. Harding for dinner. Mr. James Harding from Williamsport was there and His Sister also

They are very Friendly people. Uncle was not at home and the road are some muddy.

February 21st (Saturday)

Go to John Frontzs but he was not at home. Edmond Harding hitched up the gray horse to the buggy and took me over to Clark Converse and staid over night. Ed came on purpose to see the cook. Rainy day, mud also, not very pleasant buggy ride. Clark Converse has a black team of Horses, both of them are mares and black at that. Clark has two sons. The oldest ones name is Nathaniel Green Converse and the other ones name is Harvey Richard Converse. Aunt Martha Miller is at Clarks, she is well as common, she does not know us

February 22nd (Sunday)

Rainy day, leave Clarks about 9 o’clock , then go up to Mr. John Frontzs. Ed is some sleepy. He did not go to bed until 4 o’clock in the morning. I got Mr. Frontz to sign my orders and then we came on home to Hardings. Mary Harding was there and her Beau also. He wears burnsides. He is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. Black eyes and dark complexion. He talks quite slow but does very well. They will make a very good looking couple. He is working at the carpenter trade a building him a new house. I suppose for a cage for his little Bird or someone.

February 23rd (Monday)

Have 3 meals

Sunday night come up to Wolentine Kepners to stay over night. He kept me overnight. He kept me overnight for nothing and paid off 2 school orders for me of $28.00 each, in all $56. dollars. He is a very fine man. He has 2 Sons home and 4 Daughters. They have them a new House. Leave there in the morning at about 1/2 after 7 o’clock, get down to school quite early and get the House swept and the fire built before any scholars come, and some wet and can get dry by the fire soon. Not a very nice day. Rain most of the time.

February 24th (Thursday)

Have 3 meals

Go up to Mr. Kitchens in the morning for a cole (?) bucket for Wilson Corson but the bucket was not there but they gave me a pan full of apples to eat and I traded the pan for a pale of Mrs. McClintocks to have for a water bucket.

February 25th (Wednesday)

Have 3 meals

Mr. Kitchen started to the west, Colonel Feister takes one load of goods and Sedege took another load and Be------(?) took the old folks.

Snow all day and till after dark and about dark snow about 5 inches. Thomas McClintock is sick this afternoon and does not work, does nothing the next day of any account but goes to work Friday at Hauling logs from off their hill Farm. George Laurenson is moved down to Geo. Edkins, he is getting well as fast as could be expected and some faster.

February 26th (Thursday)

Have 3 meals

Teach school. Have 4 scholars Edgar King (brother) stopped to see me awhile, he was on his way to Williamsport, he brought me a letter from J. Andrew Wilt of Towanda. Edgar stopped at school about an hour and then it was noon. He had a piece or 2 of pie and then went on and I went with him down a ways below Joseph McClintocks and then came back to school. My health is none of the best, have pain in my breast but think it is no more than a severe cold and so will come out all right in the spring. There is some sledding, stage (?) goes up with the sled.. Asa Speary goes down in morning.

February 27th (Friday)

Have 2 meals

Teach school all day. Have 6 visitors and 7 scholars and everything goes off all right. I go up Home and part way stop at Sonestown little while and Rev. Burnley Begged 1 dollar for the church at Laporte. Go up to George Andersons to stay over night. They used me very good. They did not know me at first. Charles Dent(?) was there.

February 28th (Saturday)

Leave Andersons at about 9 o’clock and go home across the wood by J. R. Fiesters, arrive at home about 10 o’clock. Father had took out a saw log to Laporte and the rest of the people was at home. In afternoon Father took out another log and Mother went out as far as Mr. Kohensparger's. Mrs. Kohensparger is quite sick. Nice day, I made a stencil plate for Geo. W. Converse. It is just 3 weeks since Our brother S. B. K. left us never to return no more and we will all Hafte go some time to meet him.

(Correct spelling of name is Kohensparger)

March 1st (Sunday)

Am at House till 1 o’clock . Ward goes up to Mr. Gansels in the morning. Walter Pardo is there. Father brings me as far as John Glidwells Road on a little farther and then I take it a foot, get a short ride with Dave Taylor. Stop at Mr. Ben Taylors till after supper then go to meeting E. C. K. (brother Edgar) was to meeting and then came home with me to stay over night. Rev. Morehead was Rapid as the boys say. William King (father) has the Rheumatoid in his left leg so he can’t hardly walk but it is getting better and I am in hopes it will soon be well.

March 2nd (Monday)

2 meals for me and 1 for Edgar

Teach school, have one visitor named John Worthington, stayed almost all day. Have 12 scholars and it was a very nice day. I borrowed a book of Mr. Strawbrige, a receipt book , he paid me for a set of Stencil letters, 90 cents was the price. Edgar goes Home and I go up as far as Ben Taylors saw mill. The snow is almost all gone but it is frozen up in the morning. I go up to John Fiesters a while in the evening and had my supper there. Took George Converse stencil plate up to him, ask him for 40 cents for it but did not get my pay but a good promise.

March 3rd (Tuesday)

Have 3 meals

Teach school. Monday morning Mr. McClintocks sorrel mare bit my thumb, you bet it hurt but it will soon be well. Road very muddy. Yesterday Mr. Gansel, Carrie and Minie Boston go pass the School House. They go up to Williamsport and go back up home. I see them a going up and talked some with them. Mailed letter to Robert Hess of Elklands, have a notion to quit teaching school at the end of 4 months.

March 4th (Wednesday)

The Muncy Creek is very high or at least the highest I have seen it down here. Have a small school and good one too you may be sure I would like to keep. Got a postal card at night from Boston offering me a new paper but I can’t see the point. The grasshoppers are out so they say. Blue birds and all kinds of birds and in fact Wild geese and Wild ducks and everything of that description, snow all gone. Dreamed about S. B. K. think he is sick yet.

March 5th (Thursday)

Teach school. Have 2 meals, do without my dinner. After school is out go up on top of the Hill above McClintocks wagon shed, look around, come down to the barn Have some pain in my breast. The Old dog died, guess old age was the matter. Nice day. Think about S. B. K. in daytime and dream about him at night. Dream that he is dead and gone and that is so, never more to come back. Have 8 scholars in forenoon.

March 6th (Friday)

Teach school. Have 3 meals. Snow all day, about 9 inches but did not measure it. Come back to Lafayetts and stay over night, first Friday night have yet. Make a corn cob pipe at night and have a smoke, use peppermint. Feel middling well, slight pain in my breast.

March 7th (Saturday)

Have 1 meal . Go down to Geo. Edkins after sleigh tong, got it S. T. McClintock hitched up the horse and started to Hughesville. Stopped at Ym. Keetours and bought our selves rich. I bought 2 Slate pencil, penholders, 1 rubber for led pencil, 1 rubber for pocket book., go into the Furniture shop

and look around.

March 8th (Sunday)

Have breakfast at H. C. and dinner also. Got to Post Office and get acquainted with a man by the name of Little, he said that he was acquainted with my Father when they was boys. Go up to Mr. Reeces at about 2

o’clock , had another dinner and then went up to Wilson Corsons, stay till dark and then the boys and girls go up to Joseph Snells for an evening visit. I went along, had a middling good time. Mr. Snell said he use to know my Father when they was boys together. Then Go home. I stay at Reeces over night.

March 9th (Monday)

Come up to school. Have 2 meals

Ride from Reeces down to the point with Abe Reece and then came up to school, built the fire and then go over to Lafayette before school. After my dinner there is quite a crust of snow. Abraham Reece was a going to trade Horses

March 10th (Tuesday)

Have 3 meals. teach school, very cold and windy day and not very good wood. Have to talk reason to William McClintock at night in the spelling class, he said that him or any of his folks (?) but it did not scare me any and I would be glad if they would stay mad all of the time. Help Mrs. McClintock place a quilt pattern, can beat her at it. Buy my grammar book of Mary J. Fiester for 45 cents and the title of book is Smith.

March 11th (Wednesday)

Teach school. Have 3 meals.

Make a chair in morning, make it of boards and then take it to school. It suites the scholars first rate and me good too. Buy a pint cup off a tin peddler for to drink out of at school, pay 5 cents for it. Make up my

mind to not teach but 4 months and then go home and help make sugar.

March 12th (Thursday)

Teach school. Have 3 meals

A peddler stay at Mr. McClintocks, his name is Yagle from Williamsport. He sells tin ware and almost every kind of Yankee Notion. Mr. Ellis Bobb is quite sick.

March 13th (Friday)

Have 2 meals. Pay McClintock $1.00 for Tax on board. From first of Jan. up to Friday night 124 meals at 12 cents $14.88

March 14th (Saturday)

Go home from L. M. Kings. Harvey and Myself get Home before noon. Father Hauls logs to saw mill and Mama goes up to Pennington to a quilting. Ward and I go up to Gansels at night.

March 15th (Sunday)

Papa and Mama go out to Laporte to meeting with Horse and Sleigh .

March 16th (Monday)

3 meals

March 17th (Tuesday)

3 meals

March 18th (Wednesday)

Teach school. Have about 14 scholars and 2 visitors. Things go off all right till noon and from then on rather ruff. Bill Nevil and Walter H Laurenson get about their business and that made things go tough, them two boys can’t behave and there is scarce any use liken them. Give the scholars cards for last day, all of them that are there and behave. Left our school by 3 o’clock and then start for Geo. Philips, get caught in a Thunder shower. The first of the year. School out tonight. 4 months of school

March 19th (Thursday)

Go to Uncle Hardings in the morning, stay about 2 hours then go to John Frontz and from there to His saw mill. Get Him to sign my order and from there to Mr. Kepners and then had my dinner. Got my pay for teaching school, then go down to Lafayettes.

March 20th (Friday)

Leave Lafayette in morning, settle up but not very satisfactory to me, he wants about $4 more than is coming to.

March 21 (Saturday)

Are at home all day till night then go up to Uncle Penningtons to a sing.

March 22 (Sunday)

Stay at home all day.

March 25th (Wednesday)

Come home in morning from Mordecai (older brother) stop at C. Speary and help sugar off. Have all I can eat. Gather sap in afternoon and go to Spelling School at night, about 30 there.

March 26th (Thursday)

Stay at home all day.

March 29th (Sunday)

Reading makes a full man. Conversation makes a ready man and writing a correct man.

March 31 (Tuesday)

Go up to Edmond Penningtons, stay well after dinner then came home.

April 1st (Wednesday)

Stay at home all day, go to meeting at night at our School House. Rev. S. Colt Preached there and then there was several Baptized. John Little, Joseph Little, Lewellyn Little, Ben B. King, Harvey King and myself and the thing all over now. What was seen dreaded for so long a time.

(Amos and Eliza Glidwell Little’s three sons, John age 12, Joseph age 4, Lewellyn age 2,) ( Perrys’ brothers, Ben B. age 12,

John Harvey age 14 )

April 2nd (Thursday)

Stay at home all day and not do much work either. Misses M. Pennington was to see us.

April 3rd (Friday)

King (?) Jesse P. Little came Home at night, does not teach school because it is Good Friday. He goes to Dushore.

(Jesse Pennington Little age 20 , son of Thomas Laird Little and Anna M. Pennington Little.)

April 4th (Saturday)

Stay at home till noon and then go to sap.

April 5th (Sunday)

Go to meeting at Laporte, Pa. and then stay till after S. School. Benny, Father and myself.

April 6th (Monday)

After dinner start to Towanda. Ride to Laporte on a load of Hay and then walk over to Prof. John Martin in Dushore to stay over night, carry my satchel all the way from Laporte. (Prof. John Martin was County Superintendent of commons school)

April 7th, (Tuesday)

Came up to Towanda on the morning train, find Mr. J . Andrew Wilt first thing. Have dinner with him, go to college after dinner, make up my mind to stay and go the school. Have supper at

Prof. Quinlan house, go down town two or 3 times during day.

April 8th (Wednesday)

Go to school all day for the first time in my life at a Collegiate Institute situated on the right bank of the Susquehanna River at Towanda, Bradford. (Susquehanna Collegiate Institute)

April 9th (Thursday)

Go to school at the college, it goes off all very well, no very great thing. Boys and girls are in different rooms to do their studying in but recite in the same.

.

April 10th (Friday)

Go to school.

April 11th (Saturday

Work at fixing up fence. Prof. Quinlan, Hecter Seily, and Myself. Snow and rain almost all day, saw wood from about 3 o’clock till Dark or 6 o’clock. The Boys are very clever.

April 12th (Sunday)

Dress and Shave, the Boys cut my Hair and I shaved them. Mr. Huston and Hector go to meeting in forenoon to Presbyterian Church and pay 10 cents collection and at night go to the M. C. Church, Pay 5 cents to the collects.

April 13th (Monday)

Go to school.

April 14th (Tuesday)

Go to school

April 16th (Thursday)

Go to school all day. Buy a slate at 25 cents, one quire of Paper 30 cents, Write 1 letter 3 cents, 58cents.

Seen 5 or 6 rafts go down the river and they look to go easy, 6 or 8 men on each Raft. Work at fixing Bracket fence. Hour stay up till 11:30, aris before sunrise. buy a spelling book. Pay 12 cents for it.

April 17th (Friday)

Go to school all day, snow about 2 inches and attend Debate at night in society Hall. Everything go off very pleasant, have got acquainted with some of the boys, work about 2 Hours after school a shoveling ashes. Edmund Sherwood is complaining some of Being sick. He looks very much like Mr. Adams. Clerk of Laporte Tannery.

April 18th (Saturday)

School house Building is 48 feet wide by seventy five long as near as I could guess by stepping it. I Pay E. E. Quinlan 12 Dollars for tuition and schooling and that is Half that I was to pay him and he gave me a receipt for same. I work all day, have been here almost 2 weeks and am getting acquainted with the people some by time. Nice day, only wet and sloppy, snow all gone.

April 19th (Sunday)

Go to meeting and Sunday School in forenoon and write a letter home in afternoon, stay and study and write a composition ready for Monday morning. Very fine day, the nicest day that we have this spring. I shaved off my side whiskers, the first time for about 9 months. Pay 5 cents to the collection for the benefit of the good cause , get up at five o’clock , have breakfast at 8 o’clock.

April 20th (Monday)

Monday go to school , at night there was a package gave me and it had come from Home but I do not know who sent or brought it but it is just the thing only it makes me think of its owner, but that I had ought to do. Rain and storm all day. The river is rising.

April 21st (Tuesday)

Go to school.

Mr. Huston has gone Home sick and our number is getting smaller in the place of larger. The river is up very High or the Highest it has been since a long in the spring. Some men down on the Island have a raft stuck but are unable to remove it.

April 22nd (Wednesday)

Go to school

Attend a debate at night in the Society Room, Eight present only everything goes off very pleasant and no subject resolved that the Grangers may be successful in their aims. Initiation fee 50cents. Work at digging and wheeling sods.

April 23rd Thursday

Go to school all day.

April 24th (Friday)

Go to school, snow at night.

April 25th (Saturday)

Snow all day - work at setting Hitching Post and making steps in for noon and in afternoon, saw wood in cellar and clean out the cellar - Joseph C. Pennington came to see me a little while, at night I go down town to look around.

April 26th (Sunday)

Get up at 5 o’clock - dress and shave before breakfast and then after breakfast shovel sidewalk till meeting time and then go to meeting and after meeting go across the river bridge and it is about 700 feet long - afternoon go to temperance meeting at 5 o’clock and at night go to church meeting. Snow about 6 inches deep.

April 27th (Monday)

Go to school.

Huston came back to school today and he is well.

April 28th (Tuesday)

Snow all day - snowed about 3 inches

Snow and rain

Everything is lovely

and the goose hangs

Pile up boards at night

April 29th (Wednesday)

Go to school

Mrs. King is 51 years old today (Mother)

Received 2 letters - one from L.M. King (brother) and the other from Mrs. King and Ward (brother) very cold day and froze some at night

April 30th (Thursday)

Go to school

May 1st (Friday)

Go to school

May 2nd (Saturday)

Work all day - go down to Towanda at night. Buy a watch screw for L. M. King Pay 10 cents

May 3rd (Sunday)

Go to Presbyterian Meeting and Sunday School in fore noon and after noon go to temperance meeting at 5 o’clock and Presbyterian meeting in evening. very fine day- nicest day of the season

May 4th (Monday)

Go to school all day and work after school at night - nice day. Help set out strawberry plants after supper. have the nose bleed.

May 7th (Thursday)

Go to attend a Temperance lecture at night. Pay 5cents

May 8th (Friday)

Go to school all day, attend a temperance lecture, more comical than wise. self praise is poor Recommending He was a reformed Drunkard of about 40 years of age. Pay 5 cents to col. He passed the hat around for Himself.

May 9th (Saturday)

Work all day at planting shade trees and planting Potatoes, work till after dark, do not go to town - very nice day.

May 10th (Sunday)

Very warm day 86 in the shade at noon - attend Methodist meeting twice on Sunday. Write home to H, B & M King (brothers Harvey and Ben and sister Mariah)

May 11th (Monday)

Go to school all day. Helped set out Hedge at night and attend the society meeting at night, was one of the disputants

Question was Resolved that Capital Punishment should be abolished. Negative side gained the question.

May 12th (Tuesday)

Go to School all day -fine day- after school Helped set out Hedge and in the evening go down town to Hear a Temperance lecturer from Elmira. lecture in the Methodist Church. His name is Rev. Dr. Knox after lecture Have my Hair cut by a Nigger -pay 20 cents for it too.

May 13th (Wednesday)

Go to school. Help set out Hedge after school.

May 14th (Thursday)

Go to school. Go to prayer meeting at night - all things Pass off Pleasant - The preacher read and talked from the second Psalm - very much as he world on Sunday - only about 30 there and that is not many for meeting. Have the Prayer meeting in the basement of the Presbyterian church.

May 15th (Friday)

Go to school. Have a good time at school. Warm weather

May 16th (Saturday)

Work at Planting Potatoes and corn, had a nice rain at night for about 15 minutes and then it was all over, it would done better if it had rained longer.

This morning a man was found in the river dead with a large stone tied to has neck, suppose that he done it himself.

I seak (?) for a Heater grate or Register grate - expect it Monday. cost 75 cents Everything takes up money.

May 17th (Sunday)

Go to meeting and Sunday School twice, just as the Preacher was going to give out the text in the evening there was a cry of fire and almost all in the house started toward the scene of conflagration and myself among the rest. I help draw the Engines out as far as the Episcopal church and then no one knew where the fire was and so they waited about 10 minutes and then started up the hill a past the Catholic Church to the scene of conflagration, it was a small size frame dwelling House and the flames had made such heat, worry that it all burned down.

May 18th (Monday)

Go to school. very dry time and warm weather

May 19th

Go to School dry time and warm weather.

May 20th (Wednesday)

Go to School

everything goes off very nice

May 21st (Thursday)

Very nice weather

May 22nd (Friday)

Go to school. Have composition and Declamations first thing afternoon. My composition was about light. Mrs. A. J. Crandal is Picture Painter Oil Crom (?) pictures

May 23rd (Saturday)

Work all day, very warm - work at shoveling dirt for croquette ground

Mr. Brmlan and Family went a riding but got back by 5 o’clock in afternoon - very warm day - at night I went down town and had the Pleasure of seeing a street Fight and to see the Policeman quit the fuss but you may be sure that I kept at a safe distance.

May 24th (Sunday)

Go to meeting twice to Presbyterian church. Rev. Stewart Preached in the evening, the sermon was addressed to the young men and it was very good. Young men are the people that move the world along. Take a walk afternoon with Mr. E. J. Erandale my roommate . Everything is lovely.

May 25th (Monday)

Go to school. Rainy day but it was needed, and it came none to soon. After school work at digging sods, in evening go down town and meet Miss Fran Rodgers of Forksville and Had a few short words.

May 26th (Tuesday)

Go to School.. Pay 50 cents for Register

May 27th (Wednesday)

Go to school - very nice weather

May 30th (Saturday)

Work till noon and then attend the Solders Decoration at Towanda and it was one of the grandest things that I ever saw there. There was about 15 Hundred people, there were men, women and children there but everything went off very pleasant. There were more than 200 people from Barkley.

May 31st (Sunday)

Go to meeting and S. School in forenoon and afternoon go to temperance meeting and young mens union meeting, very warm in forenoon but cool in afternoon and some rain and it makes everything feel refreshed and good. See J. Andrew Wilt and Miss Frankie Rodgers at meeting. The Preacher name was Rev. Dean - Methodist. He took his text in the book of John and preached a very fine sermon . he said that youth was the seed time of life and that everyone ought to do their best to train up the youth in the right and proper way and when he is old he will not depart.

June 1st (Monday)

Go to school. very warm day, Study Grammar, Algebra, R_________(?) Arithmetic, R___________(?)mental Spelling, Writing.

June 2nd (Tuesday) Wed. 3rd Thursday . 4th Friday 5th Go to school

June 6th (Saturday)

Work all day at diggin dirt and wheelbarrowing it, very warm day, go down to River at night a bathing - water nice and warm - help sweep from 5 o’clock till 6 then have supper.. Caster(?) Seely and Myself went a swimming and Mr. Crandall (?) looked on.

June 7th (Sunday)

Go to meeting once and Sunday School once, very warm day. Mr. Crandall and myself went to the river for a walk in afternoon, find some old Indian Relics

Mr. Crandall is about 35 years old and almost 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 150 pounds.

June 8th (Monday)

Go to school all day, work at Hoeing potatoes - at night after supper go down to the river and have a swim. The river nice and warm and so we had a good swim. Mr. Huston and Mr. Caster and Myself. The rest of the people played croquet. Very warm day or by ________(?) it was so. I wrote two letter or at least mailed 2 - one for Robert Hess and the other to Ward King.

June 9th (Tuesday)

Go to school. Ward King arrived today about 12 o’clock

June 10th (Wednesday)

Go to school.

June 11th (Thursday)

Start Home - arrive about 9 o’clock.

June 12th (Friday)

Go over and see E. C. King (brother Edgar Crosby)

June 16 (Thursday)

Entry but can not decipher yet??

June 26th (Friday)

Work for E. C. King

June 27th (Saturday)

Work for E. C. King at chopping. After supper came Home. Harvey came over to tell me about Some Folks coming to Our House.

June 28th

Sunday morning

Ulysses Bird and Alma Bird and Jennie King are at out House - fine day

June 29th (Monday)

Miss Jennie F. King, Miss Alma Bird and Ulysses Bird start for Home and then I go over to E. C. Kings to work - some rain in afternoon, forenoon very warm. in morning Papa and Mamma go up to E.________Pennington to see Hon (?) Ruth Sinclair for she is very sick - do not know whether she will recover or not.

June 30th (Tuesday)

Work for E. C. King

July 1st (Wednesday)

Work for E. C. King until noon and then S ___________(?) and myself go down to Clark Converse - walk all the way - go to Sonestown and stop about one hour and then travel on - see one or S__________Ferry (?))

July 2nd (Thursday)

Arrive at Hughesville at about 8 o’clock and Buy ticket for Williamsporte 55 cents - go from Williamsporte to Minneauguah and pay $1.50 for ticket.

July 3rd (Friday)

leave Charles Annabels at about 2 o’clock and go to Mr. Ward Warrens to stay over night.

July 4th (Saturday)

Attend the 4 of July at Minneauguah

July 9th (Thursday)

Leave George Birds at about 7 o’clock in morning and come down to Forksville and stopped and seen some of the Forksville people once more. Have a good time for so short a stay - see Miss Frankie Rodgers, Miss Dora Rodgers, Miss Mary Wright but she did not know me and did not care to either but nobody cares or at least I do not - go over and see Mr. Haylands people and they did not know me at first but soon found out and was very clever. The Loyalsock Creek is almost dry. Forksville has improved some since last fall - it has one new church, one new store house and one new Shop. Come Home, Walk home all of the way - are well and Happy.

July 10th (Friday)

Work at home part of the time. Work at morning in the five acre field. Ward, Harvey and myself - some rain in afternoon. Father goes to Sonestown in forenoon a horse back with the bay Horse - come back about one o’clock and then put a post under the barn, about 4 o’clock he goes over to L. M. Kings to see how everything is going along. This is the first mowing I have done this year. Yesterday I bought 2 new Scythe at Forksville and carried them home. walk all of the way - pay $2, for them. leave Forksville at 10 minutes past 10 o’clock and arrive home at about 4 o’clock in afternoon. Stop at Mr. Myers and get 5 cents worth of crackers to eat.

August 4th (Tuesday)

Worked for L. M. King

August 5th (Wednesday)

Worked for L. M. King. Harvey came over and told about E. C. King (brother Edgar Crosby) is taken with the spitting of Blood in morning at about 5 o’clock and again in the evening at about 7 o’clock. Ward goes to Laporte for a Dr. and Dr. Meylert and Rev. Colt come out to see him. Stay Half Hour - leave some medicine - the Dr. can not do much for him but will hafto leave it for the time to tell and cure if possible. Our fears are great but will Hope for the best. Father and Mother stay up till midnight and then go to bed.

August 6th (Thursday)

Work for L. M. King

Harvey come over and told Mordecai about Edgar again to day. L. M. King goes home to see Him - finds him very sick - L. M. comes back by noon and then after supper Harvey and myself go Home. E. C. King is no better and still getting worse. he spits near a pint in morning and quart at night of Blood and that is enough to almost Kill anyone. Joseph C. Pennington came and staid all night.

August 7th (Friday)

Stay at Home all day - go down to Amos Little at supper time a little while. Have supper there and after supper Amos came up and stayed all night with me. I stayed awake Half of the night.

August 8th (Saturday)

Stay at Home all day Same on 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th

August 15th (Saturday)

Stay at Home till evening - go to Laporte and see after more medicine.

August 16th (Sunday) and 17th and 18th Stay at home

August 18th ( Tuesday)

Stay at Home. Edgar is sick but thinks he is better than soon time ago but in reality is worse.

August 19th (Wednesday)

Ward starts to Orangevill and I take his ___________up to Mr.__________-and Reid came and offered to pay for Hay and Sheep for and Gansel cattle got into Buckwheat. Jesse P. Little was up to Mr. Gansels at night. Grave stone agent was along.

August 20th (Thursday)

E. C. feels the best he has since he has been sick.

August 21st (Friday)

Maria (sister age 12) and I Have our pictures taken. Have dinner at Mr. Colts - very warm day

E. C. King is worse. Its warm for Him to breath easy. Papa and ______ Oats after we come Home. Mrs. Amos Little was to see our folks. E. C. does not sleep well. Raining night

August 22 (Saturday)

Stay at home all day. E. C. King very sick.

We kill sheep at night. Sam (?) Speary came and staid all night. Harvey came Home.

August 23 (Sunday)

Stay home all day. Uncle Henry Converse, Frank Dent, Joel Glidwell, John Smith, Uncle Ed Pennington, Amos Little, Joseph Edgar, Isah Glidwell (came) Amos Little and Joseph Edgar stayed up all night. E. C. King is very sick prer inside does not _______anything. Harvey and Mordecia was Home

August 24th (Monday)

Stay at home. awful long day

Edgar is getting worse. Wrote a letter to Ward and a Post Card to Uncle Job King - look for Dr. Colt but He does not come. Father goes to Laporte to mail the letters and do some trading. Haf to wait for the Dr. to fix some medicine - come Home weary. Just Joseph Pennington sat up.

August 25th (Tuesday)

E. C. King is still getting worse. Dr. Colt comes out to see Him. Mordecia and Dire (?). Bostian set up with Him. He is worse.

August 26th (Wednesday)

E. C. King is very sick. Mrs. Pennington was to see Him. He Has a very Bad spell at night. Papa and Mother and myself set up with Him.

August 27th (Thursday)

at midnight I get up -

stay at home till three o’clock and then go over to L. M. King a Horseback - have breakfast then L. M. King and Harvey come home, after I get Home. I go to Laporte to see Dr. Colt and afternoon Him and Dr. Jones from the mines come out to see Edgar. Mrs. Kohensparger and Daughter come a little while. Joseph Pennington and Mordecai set up and I was up every hour. E. C. King sweats very much all night.

August 28th (Friday)

Dr. Colt and Wm. Meylert, Christopher Speary and wife came to see E. C. King. He knew everybody until the last. He wanted me to keep him in good care for He was afraid he would be light Headed, But there was no danger of that for he was about to leave this world of care and trouble and be at rest in The mansions of the blest. He died at Half-past 5 o’clock in afternoon. There was nobody but His Mother by his side when he died. Oh Death where is they sting, oh grave where is thy victory, all must go soon or later prepared or unprepared.

August 29th (Saturday)

Now comes our sad duty to prepare for the funeral which must take place whether or no - now is the sadist time of my life But our Dear Brother is gone and we will hafto do our duty to Him as long as we can - Sad though we be fondly will we cherish the name of the dead.

August 30th (Sunday)

The funeral takes place - about 40 teams were there. Rev. Colt Preached Text John, XV11 Chapter

August 31st (Monday)

Stay at home till after noon and then Ward and I went up to Penningtons - staid there till after twelve and then I came over to L. M. Kings and Ward went Home. Septer (?) and Susie staid till ________dinner and then went home.

Oh how lonely do we all feel for in the midst of life we are in death and we know How short our lives may be but we ought to be prepared for our time will come soon.

September 1st (Tuesday)

Work for L. M. King Recd. cash $1.75 warm day - work on the new ground But one is gone that used to make everything go off pleasant But a dear one has _____ no voice shall awake Him - he sleeps with the dead and now everything is lonely without him

Today Jesse P. Little and C. D. G___________ go to Mansfield to go to School F. L. Little goes with Jesse to see Him in his new Home.

September 2nd (Wednesday)

Work part of the day and go Home and back again L. M. K (age 26) works for D. Speary,

very warm day. I go home in afternoon, come back at night.

Ward L. King starts for Orangeville (brother age 19) Harvey takes him to the top of the Mountain a Horseback (John Harvey , brother age 14)

September 3rd (Thursday)

Work for L. M. King . Mordecai works for D. M. Speary today - very warm day - afternoon work on new ground - last Monday the county finished _________ ___________ at Sonestown. Hon. J. W. Martin and A. Fancette runs the machine.

September 4th (Friday)

Work for L. M. King Harvey comes over

September 5th (Saturday)

L. M. King goes to Camp meeting - Benton Columbia Co. Pa.

Work for L. M. King part of the time - go over to J. Edgans in afternoon awhile.

September 6th (Sunday)

go to S. School and Preaching Text Isah 40-26 Sermon by Rev. Brunley, Sonestown.

J. Harvey and myself go to Mr. Stephens for dinner. Have a very good time, all considered.

September 7th (Monday)

Work for L. M. King on new ground. He comes Home in afternoon.

September 8th (Tuesday)

Work for L. M. King till noon, go from there see Mr. Joseph Robins (?) and He pays me $38. for L. M. King. Father sells the young cattle for $80. 4 of them to Masteller and Brittian.

September 9th (Wednesday)

Work for L. M. King L. M. goes over the mountain for seed wheat. L. M. King buys 7 Bushels of wheat at $1.50 per Bushel and one for D. M. Speary.

September 10th (Thursday)

Work for Mordecai, plow on new ground, very warm day. This is the dryest summer we Have ever Had. The spring and wells are all most dry and a great many are _________(?)dry. Feel well as can be expected for this time of year.

September 11, (Friday)

The warmest day of the year. Work for L. M. King - feel sick in night.

September 12th. (Saturday)

go Home

September 13th (Sunday)

go down to Amos Littles awhile.

September 14th (Monday) September 15th and 16th (same)

Work for Mordecai 1/2 day

September 17th (Thursday

go to Sonestown to see the ____________is progressing, about 40 names on the Roll call but about 1/2 of these are small. Mr. Martin is Co. Supervisor and Mr. A. W. Fairchild (?) is assistant teacher. all move off nice and everything is lovely and the goose Hangs High (?) Rain all day. Stopped at John Brown for dinner.

September 18th (Friday)

Work 1/2 day rain in forenoon and in afternoon. Work on new ground.

September 19th (Saturday)

Worked for Mordecai King. Hauled load of Hay out to Laporte to Mr. Jackson Keeler 1/2 ton. Mrs. King (mother) and Ben B. (brother age 12) was over to see us.

September 20th (Sunday)

Sunday stay at L. M. Kings toll after dinner, go over to Uncle Edgars. Mordecai and I and we both Had supper, came back as far as A. Chadwell, we met J. Hunter who told us of the death of Neval Smith.

September 21, (Monday)

Go to school.

October 11th (Sunday)

Go to meeting 2 times. Sunday School once. Evangelic church.

October 12th 13th 14th

Go to school.

October 15th (Thursday)

Go to School. very Heavy Frost last night.

name of scholars

Mr. Strong E. A.

Mr. Stephens M. W.

Mr. Fleming Isaac

Mr. Frank Arthur

Mr. ________

Mr. Rodgers - Married

October 16th (Friday)

Attend School all day and at night go up to Ben Baldwin and stay all night. Miles Stephens and Hartman go home at noon and most all of the other boys went home after school. Dushore is quite. (?)

October 17th (Saturday)

Leave Mr. Baldwins, get down home before dinner then after dinner go up town.

Play Croquette at Mr. R. Jacksons then go up to _____________(?) see how that looks then come down town and Play some more. Miss. Tolan, Mr. Fleming, Miss Fleming, Mr. Buck and Miss Vough and Myself. All Passed off nice. Then some of us go to Kentners and Jim and Clem Play some on instruments. A. Glidwell is in Dushore.

November 30th (Monday)

Teach school. have 21 scholars + 1=22

December 1st (Tuesday)

Teach school. go down to Jerry Aslers at night, got the report book and article for the school

December 2nd (Wednesday)

Teach school

December 3rd (Thursday)

Teach school, go to Mr. Barttells (?) at night

December 4th (Friday)

Teach school.

December 5th (Saturday)

Go to Forksville in fornoon and in afternoon go to Cousins Wm. Boyse, to a wood Chopping, do not see the man. Received a letter from E. M. --- X

December 6th (Sunday) Stay at Mr. Geo. Birds all day

December 7th (Monday)

Teach school, have lots of fun

December 8th (Tuesday)

go to F. A. Boyle and stay all night

December 9th, 10th 11th

Teach school

December 18th

Basil Little rea (?)

December 24th (Thursday)

Teach School and at night go down to Forksville __________ ___________ Donation, Have an Oyster supper, pay the Preacher $1.00 _____________________(?)

December 25th (Friday)

I stay at Geo. Bird all day. Had turkey for supper and had to carve, got along all right as ___________

make _____________ letter for Geo. Glidwell, pay him _____________for 75 cents ___________

Get no letters

Geo. Bird are a hunting.

Editor's Note: My grandmother was Bertha King Houseknecht, daughter of Lemuel Mordecai King , granddaughter of William and Sara King, a remarkable woman in her own right. Born April 29, 1877, she married John Peter Houseknecht (June 16, 1873-November 15, 1951) on January 5, 1899. She died on May 12, 1951. She was a school teacher, a mid-wife, and a mother of 10 children. She made rag rugs on a loom to sell and give away that are still in use today. She had a vegetable garden on one side of her house and a beautiful flower garden on the other. In her seventies she could read for hours or take us on an all day hike. In her later years, she would ask her children to take her to the land that was her Grandparents', the King farm, though it was no longer in the family, so she could just walk on the land that was so dear to her childhood. When I am close to the land that was hers, I think of her and my grandfather, John Houseknecht, and I know the feeling. Born to them were: Rachel A, George F., Ruth Marie, Giles LaRue, Ellis, Theodore Kent, Esther Rena, John Abner, Kathryn Maria, and Charlotte Inza Houseknecht.
My mother Kathryn Houseknecht Devereaux Steimling, and my Aunt Charlotte Houseknecht Little, are her two youngest daughters. Aunt Charlotte's husband, my Uncle Henry Little, was grandson of Amos Little, mentioned so often in Perry's diary, and they still live in his grandfathers home. To Uncle Henry, who kept the diary safe and these two women who are in their eighties but constantly amaze me, and to the memory of Bertha, and all members of the King family, though the words were Perry's, I dedicate the effort.

Sonie Nancy Devereaux Powers
January 2000