Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1889

Clear Ther. 35^o Mon. Jan. 7^th 1889 Wind N.W.

Charley drove to Rockland to Jno M Smith's & to Cincinnati also to John Bowen's & to see Jno W. Johnson. Afternoon Mrs. W.W. Moore called to see me. also Dr. R. Brooke

Clear Ther. 32^o Tuesday 8th Wind Variable

After breakfast I drove to John Bowen's whom I fear has been permitted to become too weak for want of sufficent nourishment in their fear of giving her too much. in the convelascent stage after typhoid fever and now her stomach has ceased to crave food and may not be able to take it again in which case she is gone but we must try to stimulate it again.

Rain Rain Ther 35^o Wed. Jan. 9th 1889 Wind Variable

Rainy disagreeable day. Albert Lohr was here again about his hand and again in the evening where C. "lanced" it. After breakfast I went in next door and prescribed for Mrs. Robison C went to Bowen's & to Jno Thomas' It stormed and the wind blew with great violence from the S.W. in the afternoon. There was a beautiful rainbow. It looked at one time as if there was a regular "cyclone" passing NE of us be we felt nothing of it. It cleared off after sunset and was a beautiful moonlight night. Hettie Stabler was here for advice and medicine for her son Milton's wife.

Clear Ther. 30^o Thursday 10^th Wind N.W.

Charley drove to Bowen's and Jno Thomas before dinner & to Riverside & Dick Crones afternoon. Hannah Archer went with him to Cincinnati & returned with him. I went to Jos Grady's & prescribed for his infant son Albert Lohr was here & had his hand dressed again. Afternoon R.B.B. Chew Esq was here as agent for Washington Life Insurance Co. Willie went to Asthon to Hettie Stabler's for some "corned beef" A man from Howard C named "Brown" was here & had a tooth extracted.

Clear Ther. 29^o Fri. Jan 11th 1889 Wind Variable

John Bowen was here before day light for C who went with him & used a catheter to relieve Mary. Old Mrs. Cornelius Leizear & her daughter (Mrs Bryan) were here for advice etc for the latter. Roland Moore was also here for advice for his infant son Henry. Alice and Fanny Pierce spent most of the day here. C drove to Bowens he & Dora went to Chas Stabler's to tea by invitation. Willie took Hannah Archer a drive and Old Fritz fell down & broke one of the shafts of my buggy and gave them a good scare.

Clear Ther. 33^o Saturday 12th Wind N.W.

I went to see M Bowen going with C as far as Ashton & walking home. C drove on down to "Grimes". Susanah Nugent & Elvira Hill were here, the former for advice & med: Mary E Hardesty was also here for advice & med. Also a boy named Green a half bro: of Larkin Johnson Miss Alice Stabler (daughter of Robt Stabler) was here to consult me. Robt Sullivan & Wm Henderson were here to consult Charley. After supper Charley & Willie walked to Ashton for some medicines.

Clear Ther. 35 Sun. Jan. 13 1889 Wind SW Willie took Hannah Archer & Dora to church at Mechanicsville C went to meeting & to Bowen's Afternoon he went to Riverside. Wm Henderson was here to see C also Henry [Warn] for medicine for Jno W Johnson

Cloudy Ther. 40 Monday 14th Wind E

Heavy white frost this morning Charley & I drove over to Riverside to see Ernest. called at Homewood to see cousin Mary Chandlee, also called at Ashton for some medicines. Afternoon C went to see Mary Bowen Willie went to Brighton & brought Edith Kummer here to tea after which Charley took Dora & Edith to Thos L Moore's to a "Sociable" Henry Warn was here for a certificate to his "Society"

Cloudy Ther 32^o Tues. Jan 15, 1889

Heavy white frost. "Farmers Convention" of Montgomery Co: met at the Lyceum and had an interesting meeting. which was largely attended by farmers from all parts of the Co: Charley drove "Fritz" to Riverside to see Ernest again & down to Bowen's before dinner and afternoon attended the convention. Willie going both morning & afternoon. Alice Peirce and Fanny came in afternoon, the latter to remain all night & take the stage tomorrow morning for a visit to Philad^a After tea C & W went to Homewood with C Haslup to play whist C took Edith Kummer to Homewood this morning. There was no school in the S.S. School House: the convention using it for their "lunch room"

Drizzling Rain Ther. 33^o Wednesday 16^th Wind S.E.

Fanny Peirce left in the stage for Laurel and Philadelphia. Afternoon C drove over to Homewood & Riverside he took Hannah Archer with him. "Joe" Abel came for C to prescribe for his father who has a hemorrhage of the lungs. C also went to see W Bowen who is extremely ill with relapse from "typhoid fever" and will hardly recover.

Rain Ther 49^o Thurs. Jan 17^th 1889 Wind Variable

Warm rain. I drove to Cincinnati to see cousin Mary Chandlee & walked over to Thos Lea's. Afternoon Charley went to Cincinnate to Bowens & Jno Abels and towards evening he went again to Cincinnate and brought Willie home from Thos; Leas. Martha Ann Wright was here and paid her bill. It cleared off about noon but still keeps too warm for this time of the year and I fear will bring us some kind of a violent storm.

Clear Ther 33^o Friday 18th Wind SE & NE

Beautiful clear day. I drove over to John Bowen's and called at Ashton. Willie going with me. Geo H Baston was here to have me fill out some blanks as application for pension from the US Government. Afternoon I drove over to "Homewood" to see cousin Mary Chandlee again. Hannah having written for me to come. I brought Alice Peirce home with me. Willie went back and brought Edith Kummer. Charley & Willie went to a lecture at the Lyceum by Mr Kennion the great Russean traveller & writer upon Siberian Exiles and convicts &c. They came home earlier than I expected and seemed to have enjoyed the lecture very much. Charley drove Edith Kummer home to " Homewood" by moonlight taking my open buggy: the top buggy having a tire broken.

Clear Variable Ther. 29^o Sat. Jan. 19^th, 1889 Wind

This has been a beautiful winter day the air clear & frosty, only thawing a little about noon. I drove over to Homewood to see cousin Mary Chandlee again taking Alice Peirce with me that far on her way home. I called to see poor Mary Bowen again probably for the last time as she seems to be "sinking" and will hardly last through the next 24 hours. I called at Ashton & bought some medicines & brought home with me "Katie" Fowler & Bessie who had walked down to the store.

Snow N.E. Ther. 20^o Sunday 20^th Wind

Commenced snowing soon after breakfast and continued all day & until after dark it turned to rain. Dora, Hannah Archer & Willie walked to Mechanicsville to church through the snow. Charley went to "meeting". Afternoon I drove over to Homewood through the worst of the snow storm in the open buggy. Charley going with me. One sleigh passed here today (Mr Lia's) It has been an extremely stormy day, with high wind from N.E. Poor Mary Bowen died last night.

Clear Ther. 25^o Mon. Jan. 21, 1889 Wind S.W.

I drove over to "Homewood" to see cousin Mary Chandlee again and found her much improved(apparantly) and I hope really. Charley drove all over creation in the sleigh over the worst roads we have had for a long time and broke down the sleigh. After supper C & Willie walked over to Jno C Bentleys to some sort of a "musical "entertainment.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 29^o Tuesday 22 Wind Variable

Rather a dull morning. I did not go from home. Willie took C's mare & his own sleigh & took Miss "Katey" Fowler a sleigh ride being about the only sleigh I saw out upon the roads. Afternoon I walked up to the mill. R.E. R. drove to Laurel to take the machinest who repaired Henderson's steam engine, on his way home to Balto: After supper Louis Scofield & Edwd Gilpin came & spent the evening "practicing dancing" preparatory to a "ball" the young folks are getting up.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 21^o Wed. Jan. 23, 1889 Wind S.E.

Ground frozen hard and so much snow & ice is dangerous traveling unless your horses are "rough shod" I drove over to Homewood. Willie going with me. Dick Johnson (alias Grove) came and cleaned out the ice house finishing before dinner time. He left after getting his dinner. I took the old Athol birdgun to Gus Bulwars and had a thimble soldered on that was broken off when it came here and also the piece on top & between the barrels re-soldered. After supper Charley & Willie drove over to Mrs Sally Ellecotts in the buggy and I am afraid we'll have trouble as the mare is very "smooth" & full of life.

Cloudy Ther.25⁰ Thursday 24^th Wind S.E.

Cloudy and cold feeling like snow I sent Fritz to Thos Marlow's & had him "rough shod" all around & afternoon I drove to Homewood & to Thos Lea's bringing Hannah Archer home with me. I drove over and brought Edith Kummer home in time for tea after which they all (Dora Hannah Edith. K. & Charley & Willie) went to a dance at Grange Hall. through the rain, it having commenced raining since dark. There were some showers during the afternoon. R&R went to Silver Spring for a load of coal leaving here at 4-45 this a.m. & back before dark.

Cloudy & Clearing Ther.32^o Fri. Jan. 25^th 1889 Wind W

The young folks came home from the dance (at Grange Hall) at 2-10 this a.m. Edward was quite "croupy" last night and his cough was very troublesome. After breakfast I took Hannah Archer & Edith Kummer home to Cincinnati in Bulwar's Dayton before he took it home. Willie went to Thos. Lea's to work. Roland Moore's team brought us a cord of oak wood saw'd into stove length's

Cloudy Ther. 40 Saturday 26 Wind S.E.

Cloudy dull & disagreeable Edward & I put the wood (R Moone's team brought yesterday) into the cellar. I "drizzled" several times during the day. Charley left about 10 o'clk this morning for Laurel & Baltimore expecting to return tomorrow. Willie came home from Thos Lea's about dusk and he & I drove over to Homewood & home to supper after dark. I walked up to the store for some eggs, coal oil &c.