Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — November 1–10, 1884

Instead of leaving Charlie Walker's account to the end, I'll include it within Ann's account. Hers will be in regular type; his in italics. Accounts like this put lie to the old historical fallacy that people who lived in times of greater infant and childhood mortality did not feel these losses as greatly as we do now.


Sat 1     November I am feeling some better to day I had a fearful time last night. Sent a letter to Sam I hope I shall go to meeting.
Nov 1st Sat 1884 Pleasant. Went to the Stake Priesthood Meeting at the Tabernacle... Pres McAllister spoke very earnestly on people being properly recommended by their Bishops in coming to the Temple. Pres E Snow gave a brief review of his recent trip to Colorado and Arizona, touched on the dull times and the depression of trade and gave the Brethren some good advice: to use economy and live within their income, and stir around and try and make improvements so as to create labor for the unemployed. I came from the Meeting before it closed and did not hear the last of his remarks.
Sun 2    Weather fine I attended meeting took Eleanor to meeting in the buggy listened to a long discourse by Br Snow heard young David Cannon preach
Received a letter from England. Coughed all night
Slept towards morning

Mon 3    Weather pleasant

Tusd 4    attended meeting

Wed 5

Thu 6     Weather fine attended fast meeting word was brought that Br Walker baby was drowned we all felt very sad at the news. I went to see it they were trying to restore it but in vain. went to the monthly meeting had wise counsel. Went for Josey
St George 6th Nov 1884 ....Went to Fast Meeting. I spoke a short time on the importance of giving the Lord the glory in all things. Showed the debt of gratitude we worms of the dust owed to our Heavenly Father for his continued care and long suffering. I spoke of some of the blessings the Lord had granted to [me] since we last met.... Touchd on the importance of learning eternal truths. While talking on this subgect a message came to me that one of My little children had met with an accident. I left the meeting, wondering what was the matter. On arriving home a sad sight met my gaze, that of the dead body of My little Boy, Helaman, who had just been drowned by sliping into a water tank. We tried all the restoratives at hand and worked with energy for a long time but he was too far gone. Then their went up a cry of lamentation and weeping and most surely we had a house of Mourning. The night was long and dreary, and hearts were sad. 
7th Nov At 10 we all went to the school house, Br Jarvis taking the little coffin in his carriage. Brs MacAllister, Blake, and Chas Smith made some very good and comforting remarks during the Service, after which we went out to the cemetery and buried him by the side of Little Sister Mary, and Luella, to sweetly sleep until the trump of God shall awake him in the morn of the First Ressurection. And yet in this sad bereavement I feel to say "The Lord gave and he took away, Blessed be the name of the Lord," but oh, how quick the shaft, how deadly the aim, how heavy the blow that robbed us of our Baby boy. 
Sat 8     Weather delightful read slept worked had a good dinner

Sun 9    Went to meeting Thomas & Em had supper with us

Mon 10     worked on the Machine Cleaned it played Checkers with George Br Owens called wanted to buy feed

Notes
Pres McAllister —  J. D. T. McAllister.

Pres E Snow —  Erastus Snow.

Helaman Walker — The youngest son of Charles Walker and his first wife, Abby Middlemass Walker, a friend of Ann's. He was sixteen months old when he died.

worked on the Machine — Probably a sewing machine.

No comments:

Post a Comment