HATTIE SMITH DIARY for AUGUST 1905

Hattie SMITH was born and raised in Valton, Woodland Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin.  B. 1871, D. 1936. Hattie was a Quaker (Friend) and an old maid, living in a little house next door to the Quaker church and parsonage in Valton.  It had four rooms, and was later moved to Wonewoc, Juneau County, Wisconsin.   She was a very particular person. She used to write news reports (local news).  She wore pantalettes under her dresses and the ruffles stuck out below the hem. 

I want to preface this with the thought that most of the people mentioned in Hattie Smith's diary are related to me, either by blood, or marriage. Also, note that she has a Bible verse almost every day. Enjoy!

Tuesday, August 1, 1905, Job 11:19
Net’s birthday, 27 years old. My! How time flies. I ironed this pm.

Wednesday, August 2, John 3:16
Cloudy and a very little sprinkle of rain here but a hard shower at Horace’s. I was up to the barn and orchard this pm. I went down and Lennie and I went up to Aunt Malinda’s. Maude came up and Paul Ballentine was there and we laughed a lot.

Thursday, August 3, Eph. 4:29-32
Nice day. I sewed some on my new wrapper.

Friday, August 4, Ps. 23
Warm and clear. Some cloudy. I went down and Lennie and I went to Valton. No mail. Oh, I wish I’d get some good news from the Y.C. cash prize. Windy tonight.

Saturday, August 5, Lam. 3:25
Big rain and thunderstorm last night, fine today till in pm. Had a big wind and shower then cleared off again. Haying is the order of the day.

Sunday, August 6, Ps. 103:10-11
Fine day. Got my cans washed before S.S. Lennie and I went to S.S. and church. Ella Bridge was there, also her 4 children. She has a sweet baby, Grace. Lennie and I went home with Ethel Jordan and had a fine time. Stayed till eve and came to the Missionary Meeting. Ethel Hutchins looks so pretty, seems she gets handsomer all the time.

Monday, August 7, Isa. 55:7
Nice day. Busy with house work. Ran down after mail but got none. Noah and Jim haying.

Tuesday, August 8, John 3:16
Bid hard shower in the forenoon. And another about 6:30. Lots of thunder and lightening. I helped this pm at the hay by leading the horse on the hay fork. Have been reading “A Triangular Debate” by J. Adam Bede, Rep. Thomas J. Caton, Dem. And Oliver W. Stewart, Prohibitionist. Lots of funny things.

Wednesday, August 9, Heb. 2:18
Nice day, haying.

Thursday, August 10, Heb. 11:1
Nice day, I washed.

Friday, August 11, Ecles. 4:6
Nice day. Ed helped after he got home with the milk. I did a lot of sweeping etc. Ran down after the mail and got a letter from Mary. Wish I could go and see her.

Saturday, August 12, Deut. 33:27
Nice day. Rob is 29 years old today. Wish I could see him. Have been so very busy today. Spurrier and Frank were here for dinner. Jim quit tonight. Guess I can live thru it. Harvest apples are dandy now.

Sunday, August 13, Ps. 121:5
Rainy day, cool and nice so I stayed at home. Finished reading “Wild Animals I Have Known” and think it so nice. Also read some in Spinning Wheel Stories. Rose Snider Harvey’s birthday – 34. Wrote to Laura and Tillie.

Monday, August 14, Rev. 2:7
Rainy, cool, and an east wind. I ironed and did the other work. Noah cleaned out the basement of his barn. Wish he had it all done.

Tuesday, August 15, Isa. 55:6
Cloudy till eve. It cleared off beautifully. I ran down and got a letter from Net. Zella is the sweetest baby. This is Eda Tabor and Mrs. Kassabian’s birthday.

Wednesday, August 16, Deut. 32:31
Nice day. I’m 34 years old today. I went to Valton this pm and Dell and Winnie Carpenter hammered me then Horace, Lennie, and Mamie finished the job when I stopped there. Got my Y.C. After supper I ran down and helped Lennie with her dishes, then she came home and stayed all night with me and we nearly exploded laughing at a little piece in the Y.C. about a “Tombd Cat” of the “Torture” shell variety.

Thursday, August 17, John 16:33
Nice day. Quite windy and looks rainy this eve. I baked bread and partly made some apple butter and mended some, etc. Pumped a big kettle of water for Noah’s cattle this eve.

Friday, August 18, Ps. 119:57
Nice day. I ran down to Susie’s in the eve, then down to Horace’s after the mail. Got none this eve, but this morn Frank brought yesterday’s mail and there was a letter from Laura and one from the Y.C. with $6.75 as my share of the $10,000.00 cash prize. Noah helped Bert.

Saturday, August 19, Eccles. 12:1
Rained some in the forenoon but came off nice in pm. Lovely eve. I kept thinking of Carrie Woolever all day and this eve when I went down to Horace’s after the mail, there was and came home to stay all night and we never got to bed till after midnight. Same old Carrie.

Sunday, August 20, Matt. 7:6
Beautiful morn. Carrie and I went up to see the barn before breakfast. Went to S.S. and church then Lennie and I went home with Ethel Hutchins and there were a lot of other folks there. Stayed till eve. Came up stormy looking but didn’t rain. Cassie Thompson sent me her photo by Mabel Hutchins so I got it today. Sadie Mortimer Lawhorn is out also, Nellie Canon. Saw Sadie but not Nellie.

Monday, August 21, Matt. 7:7
Nice day. Noah finished the haying this pm. I led the horse on the last load. My left ear is very sore with a boil or some’at in it. Jimmy Mortimer was up trying to buy this farm. Don’t know if he’ll get it or not. Wrote to Y.C., Net, and Cassie this eve.

Tuesday, August 22, Ps. 119:133
Nice day and Smith’s birthday, 3 years old. I got 5¢ worth of envelopes today. Read some. My ear is some better.

Wednesday, August 23, Deut. 33:27
Nice day. Edith and Ethel came over and we just had a picnic. I went a piece with them.

Thursday, August 24, Eph. 4:29-32
Rainy most of forenoon but very beautiful with a north wind this pm. I washed. Noah and Eddie, Henry and Frank and Calie went over towards Wonewoc to work on a bridge. I ran down to Horace’s this pm and got my Y.C.

Friday, August 25, John 3:16
Nice day, I mopped and did up the work. Ran down to Horace’s in eve. Sarah, Paul, and Mary Ballentine came up to stay while Mary and Horace are up North.

Saturday, August 26, Malachi 3:10
Nice day. Rainy looking this eve. Mary, Horace and the 2 least kids went this morning to Ed’s at Withee. I did my work. Dad off threshing. Went to V. this pm. Got my Y.C. check cashed. Got 2 letters. Dell gave me 2 pictures and I got a parasol $1.50.

Sunday, August 27, Ps. 9:9-10
Rainy this morn. Cool and grey all day. I didn’t go to S.S. or any place all day. Wrote to Mary and Laura. Read some. Oh I wish I were good and happy. May The Lord help me.

Monday, August 28, I Cor. 15:20-22
Nice day. Warm. Pa helped thresh at Mulhollands and Noah took milk in am. And helped on the bridge in pm. I ironed. Ran down but got no mail.

Tuesday, August 29, Matt. 7:7-8
Nice till along in pm, a storm began to brew and at eve it broke and just more than rained and thundered and lightened and at about 8pm Eddie’s barn was struck by lightening and burned, also his grain stacks. One pig was killed, buggy burned. Eddie had just finished milking and turned out the cows, and had the horses out on the hill. The barn and hay and grain was insured for $1000.00.

Wednesday, August 30, John 3:16
Nice day. I went to Valton this pm and sent a letter to Mrs. Parish and one to the Y.C. for a book “The Teachers’ Problem”, 9¢. Horace and Mary came back from Eds and I went down with them to help carry the things. They caught a ride out. Mary and baby rode to Noah’s corner with Frank Goodman and Horace and Mamie rode to Bond’s with Mr. Bond. Glad to see them back.

Thursday, August 31, Ps. 51:7-12
Nice, rainy looking and a few sprinkles at eve. I did the usual work and baked some and fixed up some apples. Apple tree peddler for dinner. Noah gave me $10.00. Owes me 50¢ yet to Mon. August 28. Ran down this eve and go no mail. Mary let me read Thomas Hollingshead’s letter and I wish they and I could go to Zion City.