JANUARY 1881

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got up at 2 went to Dick Freemans dressed a boy come home (    )   early had a buggy ride liked it fine (that is the ride)    Cold wind from South to     the men killing hogs      Luther Tomoon come told Pea there was men comeing after him he went off with Luther  I don’t know but what it is some trick     but still I am uneasy So this is the way  New Year begun   well I have commence to read my Bible through and let the world wag      I don’t think I will take a buggy ride tonight
BTM]  I show that Rhoda either delivered James F. or Durlin FREEMAN for Richard C. “Dick” and Samantha Curley Valentine.    There was only one daughter Maggie age 2 found in the 1880 census for Montague Co., TX.   It is interesting to note that later Dick and his second wife Ruth Elizabeth Bryant named a child Rhoda FREEMAN, fairly likely a namesake for our own Rhoda Spradling TOTTY.   I “wonder” if Luther TOMOON could possibly be Indian, TOMOON sound like an Indian name to me.  Rhoda is staying strong in reading her Bible through.
{CKW} I agree that his name sounds Indian.  I couldn't locate him either.

2 Day   well  Mose Johnson come with the buggy    shure enough I crawled out at 3 oclock got in the buggy and rolled out    dressed a boy (   )    come home   Louisa and Bettie and John Harville come     Bettie Staid all night     Harville left the children
BTM] Moses JOHNSON was married to Sarah FREEMAN, Aunt of Richard C. FREEMAN and sister of William FREEMAN who married Emily (Grimes) FREEMAN.  William and Sarah were the children of Joshua and Mary (Warwick) FREEMAN of  Missouri.  Joshua died July 31, 1855 and following his death some of his family traveled to Montague Co., TX to make their home, including William and Sarah was found in the 1870 Montague Co., Census living next door to each other with their families.  Mother Mary (Warwick Freeman) VANCE was living with her new husband David on the 1860 census in HH#626/646.

3 Day     Snowing all day   never Saw Such a winter   feel worried to night   Jase and Bettie gone home

4 Day    big Snow on the ground but the Sun is Shineing    Frank went to Jases    old Joe got away and come home      Pea gone to Bens to night      Frank and Mollie to Springers   Sid and Lewis all the Company we have tonight   don’t think I ever was So tired of cold weather
BTM] Sid(ney) Elijah and Lewis Marion HARVILLE were the son’s of Rhoda’s deceased daughter Anna (Totty) Harville and son’s of John Harville.  Presuming that old Joe was a “horse” of Capt. & Rhoda, he is mentioned several times in her diaries.  Mollie & hubby Frank off to stay at her parents home for the night.

5 Day   Frank at work at his house   brother Sam Spencer come I am glad to See the poor old man one more time    don’t think he will be in the world long   I am  Sick to night   got colder   Charley come hunting cattle
BTM] Samuel Spencer (born 1810, making him 71 yrs old) was the half brother of Rhoda through her mother Susannah Spencer Spradling.  I am still curious about “Charley,” is he likely Charles Douthitt, as believed or “could he be” Charles SPENCER son of Samuel and Celia (Bryant) Spencer? Or Charles W. Spencer son of Edmond G. and Matilda (Spencer) SPENCER who married Mary Lanier.  Matilda was previously mentioned in Rhoda’s diary.  Matilda was the d/o Charles and Elizabeth (Cantwell) SPENCER of Cooke Co., TX; s/o of Charles and Sarah (unk) SPENCER of Hickman Co., TN
{CKW} I guess Charley could be either Charley DOUTHITT, former boarder of
Rhoda and Francis M or Charley SPENCER, nephew of Rhoda by her half-brother
Samuel SPENCER, mentioned in Jan 5th diary entry.  I don't know how we can
tell unless writes further about them.

6 Day    Awful cold again     Frank Edge come talking of Sueing old man Cross   I am Still Sick children rearly runs me crazy   got  head ache   Sent after medicine by Frank   he  got it  Shugar and whiskey and that’s good medicine
BTM]  Frank Edge was living in HH#371/372 of A. J. CROSS as a laborer.  Could he be talking of a law suite for his wages?  Rhoda wrote “rearly” with a “r”, but surely she ment “nearly”.   Children would be Sidney and Lewis Harville that their widowed father left with grandmother Rhoda on the 2nd, four days earlier.  I well know that active little children can cause a “head ache”, but they are worth it.  Sugar and Whiskey was used as a “medicine” for many ailments back then.

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7 Day Jan 1881    Captain gone to Hineses  Frank and Mollie to Jases     Harville come after the children    Pea gone to Daniel Spencer     got a letter from John and one from Charley Spencer
BTM] Daniel SPENCER was likely the s/o Samuel who married Rainey (White).  Charley SPENCER b:Arkansas may likely have been the s/o Moses & Delilah  SPENCER, he also had a sister named Rhoda.  Moses was s/o Charles and Sarah SPENCER mentioned on day 5.
{CKW} I couldn't locate a HINES family in the census; however an Annie HINES
will marry Jim HARGROVES on Sept 12, 1893 - perhaps this could be her father
and family?
Wouldn't this Daniel SPENCER more likely be the son of half-brother Samuel
mentioned above? Particularly since he lives near.  Are you identifying the
Charley SPENCER as son of Moses because the letter apparently came from
Arkansas?  I have very little on the Arkansas SPENCERS.

8 Day    all gone to the house raising at Jases      Mr Roberts come in his buggy    I thought I was going to get a ride     but gave it out    he talked Some and left     Sun Shining     Snow going off I am glad to See it     I am Staying by my Self cooking Souse and pottering round and thinking a good deal about what I am going to do    Bart and Tilda come home with Frank     new folks moved in the Simpons house
BTM] House raising was the common way houses were built back then. Neighbors relaying on neighbors was how things got done.  S-i-l, Jase TILLMAN and dau  Mary Elizabeth “Bettie” were the benefactors of a new home with that help.  Mr. Roberts was likely John ROBERTS husband of Matilda (Estes), daughter of Mansfield and Bestsy (Tucker) ESTES; s/o of Matilda (Easley Estes) TOTTY.   We will likely hear more about the new neighbor’s in diaries to come.  Matilda “Tilda” was the dau of Capt. & Rhoda TOTTY who married Barton TRAYLOR.  Frank was also the son Francis Marion TOTTY.
{CKW} Possibly that ROBERTS; John is 27, HH #75 in 1880.  I noticed in the
Jan 17th entry she mentions Mr. ROBERTS and son.  Perhaps she is referring
to one of the older ROBERTS men, there were several:  J. C, age 58, TN HH
#337; T. W., 64, TN HH#189; Richard, 41, VA, HH #30, and most noticeably-Thomas, age 63, VA and his son- Charles, age 22, MO still lived with him in HH #490.  There are
also others.  I don't know how we can tell yet.  Perhaps a later entry will clarify this.
JKW]Saw where Rhoda was making 'souse'.  I had forgotten all about 'souse.  My dad's mom talked of making it.  Wasn't it made by cooking the pig's head?   I can't really remember. 
BTM]  According to my antique cook book, SOUSE was also Pickled Pigs' Feet.  I remember when I was very young and my Dad worked on a farm.  My Dad and Mom made Pickled Pig's Feet or Souse from the hogs/pigs we raised.
One time when Daddy and my Uncles were killing hogs in the fall.  One of the BIG hogs got loose from them and ran into our house.   It was what they called a "shotgun" house. Both the front and back door were on each end of the elongated building/house.   When the BIG hog ran through our house I was scared to death he would eat me and I remember to this day, jumping up on the bed along with the other females and screaming for Daddy to come and get him.   Daddy ran the hog out of the house and was able to shoot him(hog) as he ran.   I remember watching them make the pickled pigs feet from him.  I am still scared of BIG hogs to this day.  Just one of my early day memories.      Here is the Recipe
PICKLED PIGS' FEET (SOUSE)
4 good-sized boiled pigs                   1 tablespoon broken
   feet with uppers                               cinnamon
1 quart strong vinegar                       1/4 cup salt
4 bay leaves                                    2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon whole cloves                1/2 onion, cut into eights
                              1 blade mace
   Clean feet carefully and cover with hot water.  Simmer until
meat will separate from bones, ten remove carefully with skim-
mer.    Place in stone jar, taking out the bargest bones.   Save water
for later use.   Heat vinegar with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon,
salt, pepper, onion and mace.  Simmer slowly for 45 minutes,
but do not boil at any time.  Remove cake of fat from top of
cooking water from feet.   Add about 1 quart of the water
to vinegar; if vinegar is not very strong, use less water.   Strain
liquid through a sieve and pour over meat in jar.  Chill 2 days.
Judy, I think the recipe you are thinking of, with use of the head, was for "Head Cheese," also made from pork.

9 Day  the cold Sunday    all pushing round the fire and nearly freezing  Snow flying   Bart and Frank hauled a load of wood all seem to think it is the coldest day that has been   I tell them it is the last once..   and I think of Peltons in their little hut and think we are doing mighty well
BTM] In this day and time, I can’t even imagine the hardships of living in a log house like Rhoda & Capt. were doing, little alone living in a hut during winter.  Burrrrr
{CKW} I believe we have seen the name PELTON before, but not been able to identify it.  I was browsing the Montague Co. land records file and came across an Enoch PELTON, perhaps this is the family she is referring to here.

10 Day    Still cold but clear Bart and Tilda gone home     Pea gone to See Dutch    Frank gone to work   Pea come back did not go to See Dutch
{CKW} Dutch BOURLAND, referred to several times in the diary.  Samuel Robert
'Bob' BOURLAND is a neighbor and presumable Dutch is related, perhaps a
brother to him?  I did see the name James BOURLAND in the Montague Co. land
records, who knows?
[TLD]  Carolyn, you "could" be right about Dutch... My husbands grandfather
was also named James and went by the nickname of Dutch

11 Day    Sun Shining  but cold  Mr Springer and George  siting with us talking  (I think well     I wont Say what)  Frank and Pea gone to Saw Shingle timber
BTM] George was the brother of Mollie both children of Franklin and Elizabeth Springer.

12 Day     Sam Spencer and Wilson come Something about his Land    I and Lillie been working am awful tired     Dolly come left her baby   wind from South  glad of that
BTM] Sam, half brother of Rhoda came with Wilson, who may likely be Wm. H. Wilson, the neighbor of Lewis Henry TOTTY, Capt’s nephew.
{CKW} Calloway WILSON in HH #455, is probably closest to the Capt.  Other
WILSON families included Robert, Elisha, George W. and James.  It could be
any of them.

13 Day    old man let off early for Daniel Spencers   I got done washing    Mollie commenced   I am thinking of doing big things if it Stays warm     Norther come Shure enough     I am like this little frog played out    Frank and Pea come in nearly froze   old man ditto    Lillie mad cutting up
BTM] Wonder what Rhoda had up her sleeve about “doing big things”?   With washing done, the house must be full of clothes hanging to dry, or hanging outside in the freezing weather. Thank goodness for our dryers today.
{CKW} That is a strange sentence.  I wonder is she was really mad or being
silly, cutting up?

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14 Day January   Cold in ever this morning    Pea and his daddy both Sick...  but not dangerous     Lillie gone to Bens..   Spencer and Wilson here fixing their Land trade   Pea went out and killed 2 squirels    mollie Cooked them for Super     nobody Sick at Supper
BTM]  “Pea” is Lewis Pete TOTTY, s/o of Rhoda and Capt.   Did Wilson trade his land with Samuel or vice versus.  Would be interesting to see the land records on this trade.

15  Day    at Mr Chessors    come in the night last night     treated very kindly     got on ball come home found Johnny Jack and family   the young folks from Springers with Nannie Leather come    Staid till bed time had    quite a crowd
BTM] Why was Rhoda out at night, was she called out for “doctoring” or as mid wife?  She rode Ball home and found Johnny Jack, now can anybody identify Johnny Jack?  Nannie Leather was Nancy Jane Leathers who later married John Lewis Penton; s/o Allen Price and Nancy Lucas (Magee) Penton.
{CKW} James CHESSER, HH #356 are close neighbors with Rhoda's children.
We considered Johnny Jack in a previous posting as one of two possiblities
currently being considered: Johnny 'Jack' TOTTY, son of John E. and
Elizabeth Caroline SMITH TOTTY or John 'Jack' PORTERFIELD, husband of Martha
Jane McNUTT, TN.  Anyone have any new ideas or suggestions?

16  Day  Sunday   Sam Baird come big crowd    all gone off after dinner     Lillie gone to Jases   Frank and Mollie to Dutches  Pea  I don’t know where too    old man and me alone reading  Baird has just moved up
BTM] Sam Baird was the b-i-l of  Capt. TOTTY.  Sam was married to Sarah Sandal TOTTY daughter of Robert and Matilda (Easley Estes) TOTTY.   Lillie most likely went to sister Bettie & Jase TILLMAN for school.   Most likely Rhoda was reading her Bible. What did Sam Baird just move up to?
{CKW}  My folks used the term 'moved up' to mean bettering their station.  Perhaps that is what Rhoda means?

17 Day  Frank and Jase Started to Gainesville  Mollie to her mas  Lillie Staying with Bettie   Pea and his pap  hauling wood with Barts oxen  (Cold and Cloudy  looks like Snow to rain to sleet this evening   Mr Roberts and Son and Mr Gilenwater took dinner   Captain Sleeping all the evening    I reading got through Deuteronomy  which finishes the puntaturch or 5 books of Moses
BTM] Family member’s coming and going as usual.  This is the first time Rhoda mentions an oxen!   Bart was Rhoda’s son in law.
{CKW} J. D. GILLENWATTERS <sic>, 22, MS lived in HH #66

18 Day    ground covered with ice..   John Harville Come took dinner   no boddy here to night but old man me and Pea
BTM] John Harvill was the widowed husband of Nancy “Anna” Caroline TOTTY, daughter of Capt. and Rhoda.

19 Day  rain and sleet ice all over the ground both as cold as has been  but awful   don’t get out of the House  with out nearly falling  fell bad to day   Frank and Jase got back from Gainesville in the night

Page 66      1881 January
20 Day    ice melting and wind from North never Seen the like before   Joe May come had his partridge net   brother Sam Staying all night   Mollie Sick   Frank Hauled his lumber To his House
BTM] Joe May was living with Rhoda’s “Uncle” George Taylor in the 1880 Census. Brother Sam SPENCER stayed the night after trading land with Wilson.  Mollie was wife of Frank TOTTY, s/o Rhoda and Capt.  Frank is building his new house.

21 Day     Cleared off Still Cold    got no ink    cant hardly write with this little old pencil   Bart come got old Joe   Sam gone to Daniels   got the blues To night or the don’t cares or sorter mad or something
BTM] Was Rhoda having the blue’s because brother Sam was moving away or leaving to visit his son Daniel?  Rhoda being out of ink must have also been cause for her blue’s.

22 Day  Ida come for Lillie to Stitch her dress   Lillie gone home with her    Frank went to Pella broke the waggon    Sun Shining to day  but cold Wind from North
BTM] Lillie helped her friend Ida Marshall with her dress.

23 Day heard Annas poor little babe is dead it is better off   I get ready to go to meeting   had no bridle and it commensed Snowing   Old man Said he thought it would be a wise conclusion to give it out   I did So. And was Sorry I did in 2 hours..  Hilgun and Sulivan Come took dinner old man went off with them  cant Sleep to night got up and read until my eyes hurt  Frank and Mollie Sleeping   Lillie snoreing………… ………………………………………..………………………………………………….
 BTM]  Rest of page so faded out from the penciled writing being erased,   wonder what was written that ended up being erased to those of us who are searching for any clues on our ancestry.   Rhoda’s deceased dau Anna and her little black headed baby boy were going to be together again.   There were lots of Sullivan’s living near James and Sarah Jane (Totty) Mathis.  Don’t find a reference to a Hilgun, maybe Capt. TOTTY was going to survey for them?
{CKW} Anna's baby boy was born Sept 16, 1880, so he was just over 4 months old, poor thing.  Rhoda didn't talk much about him.  I know it was the practice then not to name babies until later, but it seems sad to me.  I have not been able to locate HILGUN either.   SULLIVANS included Joseph, HH#492, Marion, HH #488, Thomas HH #491 and William HH #9).  Isn't it funny -Rhoda talking about LILLIE snoring?

Page 67  January
24   Mollie told me Something    Set me thinking for a few minutes..    glad now about it  went to Richards to borrow his buggy he Said Send and get it any time I wanted it    So I am Solid now      Come back Stoped at Taylors   Sun been Shining all day   Pea and Lillie gone to Rosses to night think I will Sleep to night
BTM] What made Rhoda feel better so that she could sleep that night?   Possibly Richard FREEMAN giving her the ok to borrow the buggy anytime it was needed.
{CKW} Could MOLLIE, daughter-in-law, possibly think that she is pregnant?
TAYLOR family could be Uncle George and wife Mary, HH #355 or Miles and Laura TAYLOR in HH #344.

25 Day  went to Daniel Spencers trying to pass my time as best I can    come home  look for the old man he has not come……………………………. ……………………… ………………….. ………………………… …………….. ……………….
BTM] Rest of the day was erased.  Daniel Spencer was Rhoda’s nephew, s/o Samuel.

26 Day  feeding and watering Stock  about half Sick  tired of this way of liveing   Frank not well   working at his house   Ben and Louise come so glad to See them
Son in law Ben GAGE and dau Louise came to visit.  Rhoda loved seeing her family.

27 Day   Frank gone back to work  Mollie and Lillie mounted old ball and Started to Jaseses  I am all along going to do some ………………………………………… ……….. ………………………………………………..(erased)  just got done that writing..   Brother Castleman come we had a good long talk   he went on his way and I well I commenced to write again..  put up a quilt    Captain got home   Sick to night
BTM]  What was Rhoda bothered about?   Where was the writing, it was not in this diary, unless that was what was erased.
{CKW} Brother James 'Jim' CASTLEMAN is mentioned numerous times in the diary.  I haven't located where he lives yet.  ROSSES could be George & Marthy HH #445 with children Crystal 15 and George 11; or Rebecca ROSS, widow, HH #332 with children George 21, Rebecca 20, James 14, and Charles 10.

28 Day Sick breaking out with Something feel mightly bad  Pea come home
BTM] Could this be hives, chicken pox or measles?

29 Day      Frank  Bourland and Pea gone to work on his House  I am broke out worse than ever   feel awful bad
30 Day      Sunday think I Suffered last night as bad as I ever did    Sall got fever    Frank and Mollie gone to Boxes  Jases and Bettie come..  warm to day   Harville married to day
BTM] The Boxes were most likely the children of Cornelius and Mary BOX, Joseph & Cornelius, and Louisa (Box) WALKER all living as neighbors to s-in-l John Harvill who married the widow Mary Magee Southward. 
{CKW} There are two 'young' BOX families:  Samuel, 33 and wife Jane 21, HH#415 or Joseph 28, and  Lou 25, HH #417 with children Laura, 7 and Wesley, 4.  Either family would have been near enough in age for Frank & Mollie to enjoy their visits.

31 Day      feel a little better   Ben come with the document about the (piece toe off edge of paper)   Captain went to Mrs Marshalls  She signed
BTM]  What was the document that Ben brought and Mrs. Marshall signed.  Was it selling/trading land?

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Transcribed from Original Diary by Birdie (Totty) McNutt ©2000