Edna Clair Ferris - Raising William




Jan. 17, 1908
     Little son is safe in bed. He has busy days. Mon. Jan. 6, mother began
work for Mr. Bilderback on the Hampton Globe, not so bad after all.

     Lover comes to meet me almost every noon and he does look so pretty when
he runs to the gate. He goes out to the barn to get irons, and plants stick
trees in the snow. Fine winter weather. Lover makes parades of all his animals
in the window seat, dear, dearest little man. Went to show, Dora Thorne Girard
Stock Co., Tuesday, Jan. 14, great event.

     Mrs. Powers had stroke yesterday.

March 4, 1908
     Little William's birthday, three years old. It was a great event for him.
Auntie gave him $3.00 and Uncle Frank sent word he had 180 pennies and a dollar
for him. He is at Alma, Neb. And so mother gave him $3.00 too and Grandma says
she will give him $1.00. Martha Jensen gave him such a pretty cup and saucer,
and Leone Ferris gave him a toy automobile (mopomobile) and Allie McNeel gave
him a nice tie, and mother gave him a box of candy, Mother Goose picture, toys
and gun. He is going to celebrate his birthday Sunday when Auntie comes home
from Kanawha. This is her 5th week teaching and my 9th working for the Globe.

     Leone would be my mother's first cousin. Daughter of Gramp's Brother
Ben. Sister of Concha Ferris Saley, Lulu Ferris Berry and Millicent Ferris
Davey. She is immortalized in family tradition for her remarks on being
critical for something. "Well, all Ferris' are a little crazy." (EHM II)

     Lover asks questions all the time. He sat on grandma's lap to night in his
night clothes and says "I've got three girls, mother and Auntie" and pretty
soon he says "I'm thinking of my girls".

     He must begin to wear little suits pretty soon. He plays in the big window
all day long. He sings all kinds of songs about "Butterfly flying by" and "over
in the meadow" and "Old Black Joe" and speaks all the Mother Goose pieces.

April 26, 1908
     Lover sitting in the big window singing. Mother working for T. W. Purcel
on Hampton Chronicle, began April 20, worked for Mr. Bilderback until April ll.

     Grandmother began to plant garden April 22. Mrs. Rose goes to Amboy, Minn.
April 27, has broken up her home.

     Mother has new silk waists and lace waist and voile skirt. Auntie has four
or five weeks more over to Kanawha, hasn't been home for three weeks. Lover's
Uncle Al went through here, saw Mr. Van Nuys, but didn't see us. Grandmother
says to lover today "Don't do that!" and he says "Don't say that, you talk like
Liz".

     Earl and Allie have new daughter, Genevieve Eleanor, since April 6. Mrs.
W. J. Stonebraker and Mrs. J. W. Snyder both died within a week.

     Uncle Frank is in Elwood, Nebraska. Has been in Colorado part of the
winter. Lover is saying "Tell me about the cow you told me a long time ago.
Tell me about that. Not loud, just easy. You better tell some more".

May 11, 1908
     Beautiful Sunday! Lover and mother went to church, and he wore his new
hat, sailor milan straw, and blue suit. Sat with Pearl V and Ralph and Marion
Brooks. Clare Andrews, Maude's sister, died yesterday, cancer, poor girl.
Everyone is so sorry and it came suddenly as she taught on Tuesday and died
Saturday.

     Pearl V. is Pearl Van Tassel, a familiar name in my early memories, but
I know nothing else about her. Claire Andrews was the daughter of E.P. Andrews,
whose house my father later bought after WWI. Her sister, Maude, was a WWI
nurse and died in the influenza epidemic. (EHM II)

     Grandma has but one lot of her garden in, as the spring is late again this
year. Auntie has three more weeks school at Kanawha.

     Track meet - Hampton vs Iowa Falls, 69-49 favor of Hampton.

     Mothers Club reception last Friday, May 8. I took Mrs. S. J. Suie? of
Waterloo. Pearl took Ruth Luke. We and Sammie and Bess and Mrs. Webb and Fred
Bud ate refreshments together. Mr. Webb and Mrs. J. W. Luke spending Sunday
with Eleanor and Hattie at Iowa City.

     Home talent play - A Trial by Jury, was first rate, May Ott a fine man,
Lyle Jeffers fine as a defendant. All good.

May 17, 1908
     Lover and mother walked out to the woods today. Saw lots of things, a
gander and a calf and little fishes and lots of things. Lover says "I'll carry
the basket mother, pretty heavy for you". Grandmother has the garden all in.

     Martha Jensen is to be married Wednesday.

June 17, 1908
     Lover boy getting ready to go to bed. Has lived on strawberries for the
past week. We sold $9.85 in three pickings. Went up to see Hemmingway about
other two lots for ma. Have been working all alone this week. Purcell and Dede
have been to Chicago, all week, to National Convention. Taft nominated for
President. Allie McNeil, Pearl Bartlett, Harry Webb, Harry Danis, George
Patterson and I had picnic supper at lake the other night. Had good time, had
hot coffee and toasted wennie wursts.

     Mrs. Harriman gave me a buggy and I bought harness.

     Mr. Harriman's buggy, my mother's new harness, and Roderick, the
paragon horse? (EHM II)

July 13, 1908
     Chautauqua week just ended. We heard McConnell, T. Brooks Fletcher,
Cadman, and Opie read. Frank gone to C.S.W. to meet D. E. Mann. Not working for
Purcell since July 1. Jennie Kruger is here visiting, also Ella S. Roberts.
Pearl van Tassel and I made ourselves gingham dresses last week, mine blue,
hers brown.

     Lover said this morning after looking at the garden, "Didn't I make a
pretty nice garden for you?"

Aug. 23, 1908
     Uncle Frank will be thirty-two years old tomorrow. He is out in Creighton,
Nebraska. George Ferris and his daughter, Mamie, are here visiting. Auntie goes
to Vinton Saturday. Auntie and mother took William to his first circus last
Tuesday, Aug. 18, and he enjoyed himself fine. We took him to the fair Thursday
Aug. 20, so he had a gay week. He went to the Royal Neighbor picnic with me
Aug. 5 at the Mill Pond. He said to me the other day while he was sitting in
our buggy in the barn, "Come dear mother let us have a visit. Let us play we
are going fishing". He loves his Auntie and puts in hours and hours playing
with her in her room. Mrs. V. T. is sick in bed. T. B. Taylor died Aug. 1 and
John Manch Aug. 17.

     Lover said in the garden, "Be careful there, don't step on the things I
raised".

Sept. 3, 1908
     William will be three and a half years old tomorrow. He is up stairs here
in bed now. His Auntie went back to Vinton Sunday, Aug. 30. Canned tomatoes and
made jelly today. Went over to Pearl van Tassel's, found her better, but still
weak and tired out. Frank is in Spencer, Nebraska.

     Had tooth filled yesterday, no fun either. It is so lonesome I think that
sometimes I can't stand it, but there is always William - and work.

Sept. 21, 1908
     Four years yesterday since my loved one went to work on the Missouri
Pacific and over four since he went away forever. it was..., all but for his
poor bruised broken body.

     I am working for Purcell, he went to Anamosa to see his sister, whose
husband was killed. Ed Beebie's barn burned down today and Bill Cronin broke
his arm yesterday.

     Lover says "bastic" for basket and "brekset" for breakfast. Tonight he
says "Mother, the little calfie is Mattie's baby", and I said yes, and soon he
says "Stubborn is a grandma and Mattie is so sweet".

Sept. 25, 1908
     Mattie's calf born Sept. 12, two weeks old today. Jennie Rule's baby boy
born Sept. 12 also. Worked for T. W. Purcell this week, was glad when it was
over. Beebe's barn burned up Monday.

     Lover says "bunton" for button. He has named our yellow tom cat Kitty Dell
and came in saying "Dell has caught a rat".

Oct. 4, 1908
     William went to Kindergarten and Miss Shepherd let him play with her
things and he had a fine time. I almost went to Des Moines last week. Am
Secretary of Mothers Club.

Nov. 28, 1908
     Thanksgiving day, good weather so far and no snow. Grandma and lover and
mother had a good dinner today. Nettie came home from Vinton Oct. 30, and spent
Sunday. I was working for Purcell and met her at the train. Lover says "Ashter
dinner" and "Cause I hasht too". I am making a sofa pillow (autumn leaves). We
have two cows, Mattie and Stubborn and it makes too much work for ma.

     I began work for Clock and Clock in their office on the abstract books
Oct. 12, two weeks ago today. I have a new fur, little beaver collar, and have
new scarf to wear evenings and over my hat.

     I recall this sofa pillow around for years. (EHM II)

Nov. 31, 1908
     I worked for Purcell election week. I fixed a little candy box. It had
three nut cookies, 3 little pieces chicken, little bit of dressing, little bit
of salad, 6 red grapes, 6 white grapes, 6 after tea dinner mints and little
celery and six little nuts, and am going to mail it to Auntie tomorrow. We have
2500 lbs of soft coal and 2300 lbs of hard coal put in the barn yesterday.

     Uncle Frank is in Cologne, Minn. this week, will be home Christmas week.
Auntie is in Vinton, she has a new cloak she writes, but she needs a new hat.

Dec. 25, 1908
     Lover's fourth Christmas. His Auntie came home at 4 o'clock this morning
to see William. Uncle Frank came home Dec. 19 from Arlington, Minn.

     Lover's things were in the window. He got a handkerchief from Algona and a
picture postcard, a knife and fork and spoon set from mother, splicea puzzle,
scissors, ducks, magazine from Auntie, building cement blocks from grandma,
soldiers from mother, a chariot and book from Uncle Frank, a book from Jennie,
slippers from Mae Rule, necktie from Allie McNeil.

     Uncle Frank got ma a new sewing machine today and a bureau scarf
from Nettie and a doiley from lover and a comb from lover and a picture from
me. I got a fountain pen from Nettie and a silk bag from Jennie, a handkerchief
from Mrs. Dodge and two corset covers from ma, and a box of candy from Sherwood
and one from Bert Lane. I got a candlestick from Nettie, a brass one.

Jan. 31, 1909
     Friday, we had the worst blizzard we had in years. I went up to the court
house in the forenoon and blew over and was afraid to go back in the afternoon.
It broke ten telegraph poles between the depot and the Harriman's old place.

     William went out this morning and shoveled the front porch and made a snow
man and was very happy.

     He goes to bed with Miss Nettie coat and gets up by her. He hung up his
stocking tonight just to play Christmas and put in spools and paper boats and a
postal card. He wrote a letter to Auntie and cut out a picture for her.

     Uncle Frank is in Cambria, Wis. this week.

March 4, 1909
     Lover's fourth birthday. Mother stayed home today from Clock and Clock and
made lover boy a cake. In the afternoon, went over to Pearl's and we went
uptown.

     Lover got $4 from Auntie and mother is going to give him $4 and
grandmother gave him a big silver dollar before he had been up an hour. Mother
got him some molding clay and Auntie sent him a booklet. He said he had a good
time all day today. Auntie wrote him a birthday letter and mother read it to
him after his hair was curled. He wore his blue striped suit all day and hasn't
had his hair cut yet, although I trimmed it off some a while ago. Lover is
sound asleep in bed, dear little man.

     Uncle Frank is coming home next week, has been in Wisconsin and don't
think he has been doing well.

     Went up to Lou M. tonight and E.H brought me home. Guess he astonished
himself some, am sure he did me.

     Lou M. - Lou Mallory. E. H. - my father. (EHM II)

April 27, 1909
     Am waiting for lover boy to go to sleep. He has played out doors all day
today. Have been working in Court House almost all winter, but finished up
deeds, mortgages and affidavits yesterday and now, unless we make a town lot
book, am beginning to get through. I have a new hat, butter bowl shape. Lover
is going to have his hair cut off when Auntie comes home.

     E. H. Mallory walks me home at noon occasionally, has sore feet now,
broken instep or something. D. C. Mallory had an operation April 3. Is getting
along pretty well now. Jennie Kruger came today for a visit. She is going on a
claim up in North Dakota, so Ed told me. Uncle Frank is home, has been here for
a week, is going away May 1.

June 12, 1909
     Lover boy had his curls cut off the third week in May and he looks nicer
than before, as his hair and head is so pretty. He is over to Auntie's house in
bed now, but will come over here later. He seems well, but has been peevish the
last few days, he doesn't eat much.

     Decoration day we went up town and ate ice cream together, bought us some
peanuts and went over to the court house and ate them with Will Lane, then we
went to the Electric theater. In the evening, just before supper, dear Auntie
came home. She came on a freight, so got here earlier than the passenger on the
CGW.

     Mrs. F.E.E. St. Clair died June 3, her baby born May 28, died May 30. A.
M. Mott also died June 3, abcess in his ear which broke on the brain.

     I have a new blue skirt and two new waists and had my voile skirt fit over
again. Uncle Frank is in Minn.

     E. H. Mallory gave me two buggy rides last week and brought me home from
work in buggy tonight. Still walks home with me occasionally.

     It is raining hard tonight. Our strawberries just beginning to ripen. No
roses in bloom yet.



PREV <==    NEXT ==>

Edna Clair Ferris - Beginnings
Edna Clair Ferris - Raising William
Edna Clair Ferris - Raising William 2
Edna Clair Ferris - Married Again
Edna Clair Ferris - Gene is Born
Edna Clair Ferris - Jud is Born War
Edna Clair Ferris - Peace
Edna Clair Ferris - Sickness
Edna Clair Ferris - The End is Near
Edna Clair Ferris - Epilogue


Preface to these. (Brief)
Ancient history and Introduction. (Long)
Ben Franklin Ferris - Memoir
Edna Clair Ferris - Diary
Mallory Home Page