Jan 1, 1880.
I called on Colonel Cunningham, now 80 years old, bright
and happy. I wish the world a happy New Year.
Jan. 8, 1880
Wilson Ferguson called to see me about the church
lawsuit.
Jan. 14, 1880.
At half past one today we went to Mamie Parks' wedding.
It was a grand entertainment, about 60 persons present, 20 of them from
St. Louis. The dinner was as fine and elegant as could be made.
Everything passed off very pleasantly.
Jan. 16, 1880.
It is amusing to hear Shirley and his Grandma (Durfee)
when he says his lessons. She is teaching him to spell and read,
as she has all the boys and girls at his age (six years). She
has to do a great deal of scolding to keep him at it. She is very
fond of it and he is very bright but he is not often very ready to say
his lesson and then he is very fond of being read to from a book of
Bible stories. I have been greatly interested lately in reading
"Christian Life, Social and Individual", by Bayne. His sketches
of Howard Wilberforce, Foster and Chalmers are intensely interesting.
What grand Christian worthies in their day!
Jan. 24, 1880.
In St. Louis they have having a great religious meeting
conducted by Mr. Moody, a celebrated lay preacher.
Jan. 25, 1880 Sabbath.
Clear and fine. Arthur came last night.
This day is almost perfect. Whoever saw such a January in this
latitude. Fred and Annie took dinner with us. The only way
Annie can get to church is by coming here and leaving the baby with
one of our ladies.
Jan. 26, 1880.
Weather clear and lovely. Arthur went to St.
Louis this morning.
Jan. 29, 1880.
Called out at William Parks and took Shirley with
me. We read together one of Moody's sermons on the Love of God.
Very fine.
Jan. 31, 1880.
Reverend Mr. Beltser of the German Evangelical Church
was buried today. He had lived here for many years and a man of
great usefulness and distinction in his church.
Feb. 1, 1880. Sabbath.
Annie took dinner with us. Fred went up to
see Charlie Johnson on Dardenne Prairie. He is dying of consumption.
Feb. 3, 1880.
I have 11 cords of wood at home now. Rufus
Easton was killed today at Warrenton by the cars running over him.
He leaves a wife and two children, poor and helpless. He is an
only child and his father will be greatly bereaved.
Feb. 4, 1880.
Morrison Christy is very ill with erysipelas.
Feb. 5, 1880.
Mr. Christy died last night, aged 72.
Feb. 6, 1880.
This morning Mr. Christy's funeral will take place
from our church and in afternoon Rufus Easton from the Jefferson Street
Church. Miss Kate Myers came on the early train this morning.
Feb. 7, 1880. Saturday.
Clear and beautiful frosty morning - 24°.
Mary Glenday, Fred and Annie's baby was baptized in the church this
afternoon.
Feb. 8, 1880 Sabbath.
This was Communion Sabbath in our church. Jack
and Emily Martin's baby was baptized today.
Feb. 12, 1880.
Fred and Annie and Miss Kate Myers spent day with
us. Have Ed Douglas trimming by apple trees.
Feb. 15, 1880, Sabbath.
Splendid weather. Glover and several gentlemen
from town went up to the Dardenne Church to hear Rev. Thomas Watson
preach on some subject connected with the evidence of Christianity.
Feb. 16, 1880.
I went up to Wentzville today to see Mr. Ben Pearce,
at his request, on some business of Tom Pearce. Took dinner there
with E. Pearce, his bride and her mother, Mrs. Page. Very pleasant
people and I think he married well. Called on brother Vardeman
in Wentzville. His wife is in very feeble health.
Feb. 20, 1880.
Called on Mrs. Christy. She bears her bereavement
with a great deal of Christian resignation and cheerfulness.
Feb. 21, 1880.
I never saw so much clear, beautiful weather in winter
before. Called in afternoon to see Frank Whitney who has been
very sick. He is up. Called also on Mamie (Parks) Bennett.
Feb. 24, 1880.
I am preparing to build an addition to the house
in which Fritz Rhaker lives on my farm. It will cost about $200.0.
I have to do something of this kind every year. Mr. Alderson,
Jane, Glover and I dined at Fred's today. Annie gave us a fine
dinner.
Feb. 26, 1880.
Clear and mild as a May morning. The whole
day has been beautiful. Little Julia Martin spent the day with
Shirley. I had the locust trees in my yard topped.
Mar. 1, 1880.
Circuit Court in session. I am on the grand
jury. Mrs. Charles Johnson, the mother of Dr. Gum Johnson, was
buried today. She was 80 years old. Miss Fannie Boyd, a
member of your church, was married today to a Colonel Ashby of Fort
Worth, Texas.
Mar. 3, 1880.
The grand jury rode out to the County Asylum this
afternoon to examine its condition. Found everything in excellent
condition.
Mar. 6, 1880.
Went last night to hear the celebrated blind Tom,
a negro born blind and a prodigy in music. He can play anything
he hears on the piano. Had a settlement today with Kruse for rent
for the year just closed and he paid me one-half the next year's rent.
These Germans are great tennants.
Mar. 15, 1880.
The St. Charles County Bible Society met in our church
last night, 1st anniversary. Good meeting.
Mar. 30, 1880.In afternoon went with Mr. Alderson
and Glover to survey the line between Mrs. Durfee's and Reid's.
The wheat on her upland looks very well.
Apr. 1, 1880.
Shirley started to the public school today for the
first time. He goes into Miss Bruere's room.
Apr. 3, 1880.
I called this afternoon at William Parks. His
little boy Joseph quite sick with pneumonia. Also at Robert Parks
and Alf Stonebraker's. Glover went to St. Peters today to attend
a Republican County Convention and gave us a very amusing account of
the meeting. Dick Buckner at the head of a lot of negroes and
low whites took possession of the meeting in the interest of Grant,
and Bruere and his friends withdrew in disgust.
Apr. 6, 1880.
This is election day for city offices. It is
a sad commentary on popular elections to see the ignorant negroes and
low whites that in a great measure control these elections.
Apr. 11, 1880.
Examined some peach blossoms this morning, six trees
killed and nine alive.
Apr. 12, 1880.
Arthur bought a riding horse today from Castlio.
I rode him the country this afternoon. He is a very fast racker.
Apr. 15, 1880.
Frank King died yesterday morning in St. Louis of
pneumonia. He was about 30 years old. His death is a terrible
le blow to his family. Funeral in afternoon.
Apr. 25, 1880, Sabbath.
Rev. Samuel Watson preached for us today. Very
good sermon. The oak trees are beginning to show their leaves.
Apr. 27, 1880.
I called at Dr. Johnson's to see Mrs. Fant and also
at Mrs. Ross'.
Apr. 28, 1880.
Called on Mrs. Frayser, Alf Stonebraker, whose little
boy is very sick with pneumonia, also at Judge King's.
May 5, 1880.
Received a letter from Claude Johns today saying
his mother and Bonnie would leave Austin yesterday n their way here
and thence to Denver, Colorado. What strange vicissitudes befall
us. My sister-in-law, Mary (Wharton) Johns, lived long in Mississippi,
now in Texas, and her children are scattered in Mississippi, Texas,
Rhode Island, and Colorado.
May 6, 1880.
Mary and Bonnie arrived at 11 o'clock this forenoon.
Mary looks very well indeed. She is about 5 or 6 years older than
I am, about 65 or 67. I knew her first in 1832 at Nashville Tennessee.
I was a boy of 13 or 14 and she a young lady. She was married
to my brother Alfred in Huntsville, Alabama in 1835.
May 7, 1880.
Mary looks very young, younger and better than she
did 14 years ago when she and Alfred were here on a visit. I have
had a great deal of talk about things and persons of the past.
How many old and dear friends with whom we were intimately associated
in years past in Mississippi have passed away! She and I are the
only ones left of each of our families.
May 10, 1880.
Our pastor, Mr. Martin, left this morning for General
Assembly at Charlotte, S. C.
May 11, 1880.
Mary and Bonnie, Jane and Myself, and Glover, took
Tea with Fred and Annie.
May 12, 1880.
Mary Johns and Bonnie expect to leave for Denver
this evening.
May 13, 1880.
Mary and Bonnie left last night for Denver, Colorado
to visit Will . Their visit here of a week afforded me great pleasure.
She is a remarkably well preserved woman for her age, 66.
May 14, 1880.
Rode in country with my wife, Mrs. Durfee, and Mrs.
Glenday. Called at William Shaper's and also at Charlesworth's.
May 16, 1880. Sabbath.
Cool, bright sabbath morning. Dr. R. P. Farris,
our old pastor, preached for us today. Text: Eph I.
"Accepted in the Beloved". He is a master in Israel, a ready writer
and a powerful speaker. He has been for 10 or 12 years, Editor
of the St. Louis Presbyterian.
May 17, 1880.
This is a great holiday among German Catholics and
Lutherans, "Pentecost Monday".
May 20, 1880.
Glover went up to Mechanicsville today. Called
on Mrs. Ross. She had an operation for cancer last week in St.
Louis by Dr. Hodgen. She is quite well. Called on Mrs. King.
She is wretched in the extreme, inconsolable for Frank's death.
May 22, 1880. Went up to O'Fallon today to
attend a Democratic mass convention to send delegates to Moberly to
appoint delegates to the National Convention at Cincinnati to nominate
a candidate for President.
May 23, 1880. Sabbath.
Clear, beautiful, Sabbath morning. Rev. Carr
Barret of Mispah Church, St. Louis County preached for us today.
May 24, 1880.
Fred, Glover and several young men went to Creve
Coeur Lake to fish. Early cherries getting ripe.
May 28, 1880.
Called on old Mrs. Sheppard. She is quite active
in mind and body, over 80 years old. She lived in St. Charles
more than 60 years ago and in the house on Main Street, next to the
old St. Charles Hotel (Ruenzi's) and next to the house then occupied
by the State Legislature. The old Ruenzi Hotel has been taken
down in the last few days. It was first built of logs, large cottonwood
logs, and then afterwards weather-boarded. Many of the logs are
very sound now. It has probably been built 75 or 80 years.
Most of the old buildings, as well as old people are passing away.
This has been a delightful day.
May 30, 1880. Sabbath.
Almost perfect day. Rev. Thomas Watson preached
for us today. He preached two grand sermons to good congregations.
Mrs. Thomas Watson and Alex Garvin took Tea with us.
May 31, 1880.
Had my garden plowed this morning, everything growing
fast.
June 1, 1880.
Called in afternoon at Mrs. Watson's to see her nephew,
Mr. Fleming, a theological student from Union Seminary. Virginia,
Glover, Joe Lackland and Castlio to Tea. At night went to the
Lindenwood Baccalaureate services in the Jefferson Street Church by
Dr. Niccholls. His subject, the model wife and mother, as sketched
by Solomon in Proverbs.
June 2, 1880.
Great excitement about the Chicago Convention, the
Grant and anti-Grant feeling very intense. It is the first time
any man ever had the ambition and presumption to seek the Presidency
a third term. I hope his defeat will be so overwhelming as to
settle that question, forever.
June 3, 1880.
Mrs. Vardeman, the wife of Reverend Mr. Vardeman
of Wentzville, was buried in our cemetery today. He is a noble
man and fine preacher of the Baptist Church. My daughter Lizzie
and her children came today from Sedalia. She has four fine children.
June 4, 1880.
Lindenwood commencement last night. Great crowd.
No satisfaction in hearing, Miss Jewel retired from the Presidency and
Dr. Irwin succeeds. Dr. Bookes made a short address to the graduating
class.
June 8, 1880.
The Chicago Convention still in session, trying to
nominate a candidate for President. Intense excitement on Grant
and anti-Grant. This afternoon Garfield of Ohio was nominated.
He was not in the race at the start. Grant's 306 men stuck to
him to the last. He and third termism are killed off and all men
ought to rejoice at it. Such presumption and ambition ought to
be crushed out in this country.
June 13, 1880.
Dr. Farris preached for us today. "The Truth
Shall Make You Free." I took dinner with Dr. Farris at J. E. Stonebraker's.
June 16, 1880.
Lizzie and Blanche went to St. Louis today.
June 20, 1880. Sabbath.
No preaching in our church. Heard Dr. Vincil
in the Methodist Church.
June 22, 1880.
This is the day the National Democratic Convention
meets in Cincinnati to nominate a candidate for President. Tilden
has withdrawn. His letter is one of the finest things I ever read.
It is a masterly statement of the facts of his election and the manner
in which he was kept out of the office of President in 1876.
June 23, 1880.
George graduated at Princeton College today.
I went to St. Louis today with Alex Garvin to see Judge Dryden on our
church lawsuit. We have tried every way to compromise the case
with the other church but all have failed and we have to let the courts
decide it. Saw Arthur and took dinner with him. Great excitement
in St. Louis about the Democratic Convention in Cincinnati. No
balloting yet. Called on Brother Farris and had a pleasant talk.
June 24, 1880.
The result of the Democratic Convention at Cincinnati
is General Hancock for President and English of Indiana for Vice-president.
Hancock is a noble man. The only objection is that he is a military
man. His record is fine. During the late war he declared the civil
authority above the military.
June 26, 1880.
Attended an exhibition of the public school children
at Odd Fellows Hall last night. Hall crowded. Too much dress
and costly flowers by the children of the rich.
June 28, 1880.
The boat race between the Princeton and Columbia
crews came off today at Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill. George
was one of the Princeton crew. Columbia won by a second.
"Old Aunt Patsy" the old negro woman (80 yrs) who had hoed my garden
for some years left us this morning to go to St. Louis with her daughter.
She is certainly a faithful old creature, - great strength and activity
for her age. She became a Christian in her old age.
June 29, 1880.
My blackberries are ripe.
June 30, 1880.
The Mississippi River is terribly high, its bottoms
overflowed and great destruction of property.