Monday, January 25, 2016

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — January 1–15, 1885

We move into 1885 with a reminder that Ann didn't know her own birthday. She was just a few days off, but it's a strong reminder of what it was to live life as a 19th century immigrant in sometimes desperate poverty. 

Ann records three deaths. I don't know who the first man is, but the last two are explained below in "Notes." 

If you have a few minutes, click on the link to Leslie's Monthly and look at one of the issues Ann would have been reading in Volume 18 or 19. Curious collection of information, very educational and international in its scope.


Thursday 1    January My birthday 55 Jan — 1885
Went to fast meeting went the monthly meeting Thomas and Em spent the evening

Fri 2    Weather dull heard Br Orton is killed
      are invited to a party, do not feel like going

Sat 3     Weather cold

Sun 4    Weather cold went to meeting Brig is staying he[re?]

Mon 5     Weather pleasant went for Josey

Tus 6     Weather cold washed a few peices Br Romney is in town

Wed 7

Thu 8

Fri 9     Weather cold old lady Clark is dead will be buried to day

Sat 10    Weather raining ^We have^ a letter for Brig[ham Jarvis] Father brought it from the ^Post office^

Sun 11   Weather cloudy attended meeting Br Romney preached Thomas & Em came in the evening had a bad coughing spell

Mon 12    Weather fine spent part of the day with Anne Br Everet died this afternoon A good man has gone to rest

Thus 13    Weather pleasant Br Judd came to see father about the funeral

Wed 14    Weather very pleasant spent the day cooking. attended the funeral of Br Everets went to the third ward for Josey read in Leslies monthly

Thur 15   Weather blustering went to see Sister Everet also Anne


From Charles Lowell Walker's Diary
[It's been a while, so a quick reminder that Charlie Walker was the author of the hymn Dearest Children, and Dixie's de facto poet laureate. He includes this entry and then skips to January 25.]

St George Thurs 1st Jan 1885   Clear and cold. Snow on the tops of the distant ridges and Mountains. Went to the fast meeting; assisted in blessing two children (Ben Blakes and Joseph Judd's). I spoke to the people a short time on the importance of acknowledging the hand of the Lord in all things and our dependence on him....After Meeting I visited the sick and offered kindly aid to the afflicted. Slept the rest of the day. At night on duty at the temple. And so begins the year.


Notes
My birthday — When her parents, William and Kitty Prior, had her baptized on October 30, 1831, the Curate noted to the side of the entry that Ann was born December 30, 1829. I have speculated before on the reasons Ann didn't know her birthdate


Br Orton is killed — ??  I can't find any one of that name with a death date in or around 1885. Perhaps it was an unfounded rumor?

Br Romney is in town — The persecutions had gotten so severe that a number of families were moving to Mexico to try to protect themselves. The Romneys headed north to St. George first before they went south to the Colonies. It was a strenuous winter trip. For more information see Jennifer Hansen, Letters of Catherine Cottam Romney and Romney, Life Story of Miles Park Romney.

old lady Clark — Beulah Rogers Clark (1806–1885) was from Vermont and was one of the earliest members of the Relief Society of Nauvoo. Her husband was a member of the Mormon Battalion. Based on how Ann phrases the news, they were probably in different wards and didn't have much interaction.

part of the day with Anne — As noted in the last installment, Anne Jarvis Milne just had a baby.

Br Everet died — Addison Everett (1805–1885) was from New York, and a member of the first pioneer company to Utah. He had three wives, the first deceased, and he must have been divorced from his third wife, Hannah, since she was living in Salt Lake in 1880, noted as widowed or divorced, so Ann would have visited Orpha Redfield Everett, one of my Eminent Women once I get back to that project. Orpha only had one living child, Mary Everett Fuller.

Leslies Monthly — A magazine marketed as "the cheapest magazine published in the world," and many issues can be read online, including the one Ann would have been reading: (Hathitrust, The American Magazine).

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