March 1881

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1881 March the first
     The Stormy march as come at last
     With wind and cloud and changeing skies
      I hear the rushing of the blast
     Wind strong the Snowy valeys flys
Well there is no Snowy valeys here but the wind is blowing from the South   quite warm    Captain Said he Saw a gang of geese go over   he sowing oats    Pea plowing   I wish Lillie was here..   I made a Shirt    Captain put it on
BTM] Here is the first we have of Rhoda writing down her poems for us.  Rhoda must have meant a “gaggle” of geese going over, was seen by the Capt.   Pea must be out working with his pap.  Lillie is most likely away at School.  It would be such a great treasure if some of Rhoda’s sewing was kept intact for us to view today.

2 Day   See old yellows little calf playing round     washed a big washing got done before 11..   Set down to write     wind roaring from west don’t care now    I am done washing   Pea and his pap finishing their oats
BTM]  Spring time, and time for the birth of many new babies such as Old Yellows calf.  One of my very favorite times of the year watching the babies run and play with tails in the air and not a care in the world.    Rhoda must have been up early to have the washing finished before noon, or it was only a small washing.

3 Day   Wind Still roaring but the Sun is Shineing    I am not feeling well from the effects of that washing   Captain gone to Bens     Pea plowing     Mrs Taylors and Mrs Long  Spent the evening  Pea and me wrote a letter to John
BTM] Sounds like Rhoda did a big washing, or it was the wind that took it’s toll on her that made her feel unwell.   Here we have Mrs Taylor and Mrs Long visiting, they are the women who Rhoda thinks so highly of, per her Feb. diary.    Does any body have any of the old letters from John Whitfield TOTTY or the other family members that they can share with us???

4 Day     the President takes his Seat in the White House to day..   Ben and Louisa Staid all day   Ben brushing oats   martin come to the box..  Pea went after Lillie
BTM]  This was President James Abram Garfield 20th Pres. Of the USA.  He has a successful campaign in Kentucky during the Civil War in the Union Army.   He was sworn into office of the President on this day.   He will be shot on July 2, by a disgruntled office seeker Charles Jules Guiteau and later died from this wound from blood poisoning
On Sept. 19, 1881.  I am sure that with Rhoda’s interest in the Government, she will make mention of these facts in her later diaries for July and Sept.

5 Day    planted Some in the garden     Bally come    Bart and Tilda come this evening     him and Pea gone to the debate to night     Ada and Dave  keeps Such a fuss I cant hardly think of what I know
BTM] Rhoda loves her grandchildren Ada (Irene) and David “Dave” Spradling Traylor, but like all grandmother’s she get’s nervous from their playing and fussing.   Their father Barton went off to the debate while Matilda “Tilda” stayed with her mother for a visit.  Bally (Springer-Bourland) is the sister of Mollie (Springer) TOTTY.

6 Day     Sunday    the rainy Sunday    Pea gone off with Sim     Tilda and the Children with us     I finished reading the old Testament    is to be preaching at High point to night So wet we cant go  Lillie took a big cry
BTM]  Pea was most likely going off with his friend Sim Hester.  Dau Tilda and her children Dave and Ada are visiting with them.   Rhoda is making progress in her reading of the bible for this year.   Lillie was likely upset because they could not go to the “preaching”.

7 Day   Bart gone to Montague   Frank come Said the Creek is up    Cold wind from west  Pea gone to Franks to night
BTM] Most likely the creek was either Clear Creek and Denton Creek.   Pea may have gone to help Frank just in case the Creek got too high.

8 Day    recon this must be as Tuesday for we have been working at the oak business all day   I got in the waggon went with the Captain way up near Andy Walkers to get a trough   Come back made an oak hopper   Tilda and Lillie keeping House   been a beautiful day   Ada and Dave cutting up haveing a good time
BTM]  Working at the “oak business” may have something to do with the job of cutting and hauling firewood during the winters and for possibly to cook and build with.  Any other idea’s?  Andy was the Andrew Walker they Rhoda previously eluded too as being "un-liked" by herself.   They are most likely getting a feeding trough for the animals to eat from.  I am not sure what they use a “oak hopper” for, but I believe it could likely be to store seed for planting.  When I was a very young girl in Texas, I remember Daddy giving us a ride in the seed hopper’s that were attached to the old tractor [for planting corn], after he was done planting for the day.   My sister JoAnn was in one hopper and I in the other, I can still remember the excitement I felt while riding so “high up” off the ground.

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9 Day    Bart come took the waggon carried Tilda and the children home..   miss Ada and Dave think they are as good children as I ever Saw   Sun Shineing again this morning   Mollie called by    been to her mas   Lillie and Duck gone home with her    Pea come home very tired  been helping Frank make rails.
BTM]  Barton Trayler, husband of Tilda borrowed the wagon to take his family home.  Rhoda spoke highly of her grandchildren’s manners.   Dau-in-law Mollie came for a visit after she left her parents home.   Mollie took her sis-in-law Lillie and sis Julia “Duck” home with her.  Pea and making rails, possibly from the oak they were talking about earlier.

10 Day    Pea gone back    Captain plowing..   Cloudy and misting this morning     Frank come got boards to cover his crib   Lightening and thundering in the North to night     think there is a Storm on hand     Just heard of the death of Sallie Johnsons little girl  feel Sorry for Sallie To night..   think the Dr. did the killing
BTM] Could Sallie Johnson, be the same as Sarah Freeman who was married to Moses Johnson?   Rhoda delivered a baby boy on Jan. 2nd for Sallie and Mose Johnson.  Was the Dr. negligent in caring for the little girl as Rhoda stated?
{CKW} Since RHODA delivered a boy to Mose & Sally FREEMAN JOHNSON; perhaps this was a daughter of Alexander and Sarah Elizabeth JOHNSON HH #90.  They
are listed with 7 children in the 1880 census, 4 girls between the ages of 7 and 22.  Just a thought.

11 Day  rained last night..   March wind roaring from the west to day..   Lillie ironing   I pottering around and reading Matthew   Captain in bed got Something in his eye
BTM] If Captain was plowing or sowing seeds he could have had something blow into his eye while out in the field, since the winds were so high that day.

12 Day   Mr Totty gone to mill   I go to Taylors   See Judge Taylor there   pompus and bigoted as ever not a bit like unkle George and the other Taylors    Lillie making a bonnet her and Duck gone walnut hunting this evening
BTM]  Here Rhoda mentions her “Uncle George Taylor” again.   Who is Judge Taylor visiting Uncle George?  Could this be the Frank C. Taylor mentioned in the “Story of Montague Co., TX on page 801?, he was from Tennessee.  Lillie and her friend Julia Springer sewing then off to enjoy the sun shine and fresh air by searching for walnuts.

13 Day   Sunday Mr Totty  Lillie and I get in the waggon  got to Sam Bairds   See all Sams children  but Mary Jane and Caroline   Sallie looks the very picture of despair   come home   Albert come with us   I brought Billies Book
BTM]  Totty family going to visit widower and bro-in-law Sam Baird who had been married to Capt. Totty’s sister Sarah Sandal Totty Baird.  I show their children as: Mary Jane; William “Billy/Billie” Campbell; Caroline, Sarah Sandal; Robert Ed and Albert F. BAIRD.  Sarah Sandal Totty BAIRD had died on  Feb. 21, 1877.  Wonder what book she was talking about, a school primer?

14 Day   Captain plowing    Pea cutting Stalks   Lillie Sewing    Albert and Coley playing   I heard my first geese go over this morning    peach trees beginning to bloom out   I making hen nests and fixing for Spring..   Edie Sallie and Lou come Albert glad
BTM] Who is Lou, could it be Caroline Baird’s middle name of Louisa? Not proven, just wondering what her middle name was.  Sallie and Eddie would be the bro and sister of Albert.   Rhoda making nest’s for possible spring chicks to be hatched, plus gathering the eggs.

15 Day   Lillie did Some heming for Sallie..   all gone home   me and the Captain went to the garden  turnips and cabage coming up    The Waggoners called   one big fat one just from Tennessee  think he will not be So fat when he Stays here and Chills a while..  he is a Dr    don’t want him to doctor here  it will not do to doctor here as it did in Tennessee and he will find that out after he kills a good many   then it will be to late for them
BTM]  From this sentence, I take it that Rhoda does not care for the new Dr. Waggoner.  Rhoda looking forward to her garden producing, it is so exciting seeing the little plants coming up.

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March the 16 1881   Cool wind from north   Frank come hunting his pony his pap went off with him   Pea to the Burg   Lillie and I go to Jases   walk through the field    See Bettie and Mollie   Mr Totty and I come home a foot    So tired I cant rest   he goes to Show Dutch the lines
BTM]  Frank must not have fences up to keep his stock in, or else he has a fisty little pony that like the grass on the other side.  It is good to see his Dad going to help him find his wayward pony.  Sounds like Rhoda and Lillie walked a “fer piece”<VBG> as my granny used to say.

17 Day   got tooth ache   not well any way    Coffee comes after me to go to his House  well I Start he gets Sick    Stops at Bens    I go to Jake Bosts  wait till he comes on     we get there Stay till evening     dress a boy  (    )  come home  tired and Sick
BTM] I found nothing on either the Dick Coffee or Jake Bosts families.  Does anyone have any connections to these families?  Could they be from Cooke Co., TX?

18 Day     rain and cool wind from north this morning     feel very badly    fear I have fever   Lillie gone out to clean up land     I cant hardly do with out her..   Cool no name this evening Cold is the word
BTM]  Did Rhoda come down with whatever ailed Mr. Coffee the day before?   If so, maybe it will only keep her down for a little while like Mr. Coffee.  Rhoda seems so close to her children.  Especially wanting to have Lillie with her at this time instead of out on the land working.

19 Day    frost and Some ice    Lillie washed   I helped ..  Louisa and Ben come this evening in their ox waggon    Lillie gone to See Ida Marshal  mary and Gus went with her     Pea gone to the Debate at High point to night       Captain out playing with his fires in the field  after dark   I  know he is playing for he is not in Such a push as to be out in the night
BTM] Rhoda evidently is feeling some better, since she is out helping with the wash.  Mary and Gus are the children of  Rhoda’s  dau. Louisa and Ben GAGE.   Captain is most likely burning brush, possibly from Lillie cleaning the land the day before, and thinking or day dreaming of things that keep to be done around the place.

20 Day   Sunday Pea gone to Montague Springs    Captain and I alone we had a baked hen for dinner and enjoyed it fine..   Jase come after me    I went found Bettie very Sick been Sick 2 days     got uneasy  Sent for the Dr  he come had no use for him  he come in his buggy with case of instruments very important and pompus  I am not favorably impressed with Dr Proctor
BTM]  Rhoda may have killed one of her old hens for dinner.  I remember we always killed the oldest hens and saved the younger hens and pullets for laying hens and breeding to keep the flock ongoing.  Rhoda is not impressed with Dr Proctor looking after Bettie and her baby.

21 Day   dressed a fine big girl for Betty   Come home it is very Cold this morning Lillie got on mink  gone to See the baby )  its name is (    ) Rhoda
    (Maybe the wind wont rush and roar
     maybe it don’t rattle the windows and door
     The mast of March is done and past
     Wont we be glad to See the last
     Then April will come with buds and flowers
     And I trust we Shall have Some pleasant hours
BTM] Rhoda was in a poem writing mood again, it is so exciting to see her works of art written down in this form.   Rhoda delivered another one of her granddaughters Rhoda Mae TILLMAN, daughter of Jase & Mary Elizabeth “Bettie” (Totty) TILLMAN, her namesake.

March  22   big frost  Carying water putting on oak hopper   don’t feel So poetic this evening..  very tired     Captain went to the Shop    him and Pea plowing and burning Stalks   wind Still from North   I wanted to go See Bettie had nothing to ride   Could not go
BTM] They are likely putting water on the “oak hopper” to season it out.  I wonder if she drew the water from a well, cistern or the creek!  How did they get their water back then for cooking and drinking.  Did they have their own well or did they go to the well in Uz.  I would think that most likely, they dug their own well for water use in the household.  Capt. & Pea were most likely buring corn stalks, surely they were not buring with the wind high enough to cause a run away fire.   Rhoda most likely was proud of her new namesake and wanted to check on both dau and new granddau, Bettie and Rhoda Mae.

23 Day    finished Soap makeing   So tired  cant hardly rest    Old Sol has crossed the equinox and now the geese go over in flocks
    They seem to fly with weary wing
    We like to See them for we know its spring
BTM] Rhoda was weary from making her lye soap, ie keeping the hot fire going outside under a big iron pot. Along with using the fat previously rendered into lard and lye to make the soap, continually stirring the mixture until it was just right.   Then shaping it into cakes of soap, which was a long drawn out job that took all day.  It was also dangerous, sometimes when the lye accidentally splashed on the soap maker.  I remember when I was very young, my mother and grandmother making lye soap from the lard rendered from the hogs when Daddy worked on the farm of Jake Lamb.  My Mama also told us kids to stay way back from the hot soap mixture, or we could be scarred if it splashed on us.

24 Day    commenced to plant corn  Louisa come I Sewed on her dress   not So tired to night    Mag and Sue washed   Staid till late we laughed Some
BTM] Did Capt. and Rhoda have the best access to water in the area?  From her diaries she writes of several different ladies doing washing at the TOTTY place.  Sounds like Rhoda has rested from her soap making the day before.   It is refreshing to see that Rhoda and the sister’s of  Mollie, Mag and Sue all enjoying themselves a little.

25 Day    Frank come    him and his pap gone to Clear Creek to try to get a horse   Lillie Come home   Pea gone to See Bettie and the baby   Mrs Taylor and Mrs Long Spent the evening
BTM] I would have loved to be a little mouse and watch Frank and the Capt. do their horse trading, I bet they were good at it.   The new baby Rhoda seemed to be getting lot’s of attention from the Aunt’s, Uncle’s and her grandparents, not to mention the proud parent Bettie and Jase.   Still need to know which Mrs. Taylor and Mrs Long Rhoda was talking about in this dairy.

26 Day    Pea very Sick breaking out   got Scarlet fever again..   Frank helping his pap plant corn   I and Lillie makeing picture frames   Ida come   her and Lillie gone to meeting to night
BTM] Oh, how I would love to see those picture frame’s and the pictures that were to go into them.  Refreshing to see the young girl’s Lillie and her friend Ida Marshall so interested in Christian activities and going to every meeting they had a chance to.  To bad more young people, now a days, do not feel the same way.  Good old moral values are not as prevalent today as God would like it to be.

27 Day  Sunday     Pea with high fever all getting ready to go to meeting     I don’t think I can Stay long   he says he can Stay by him Self    I want to See Bettie get in the waggon   go to Jases   find Bettie Seting up in bed  nursing her baby  all doing very well   gone on to meeting    great many people there..   I almost on nettles about Pea   Stay about 10 minutes   come home just at 12   Pea Said he was dreading the other 2 hours that he thought we would be gone   I am glad we come back    he is very Sick   I am awful uneasy about him
BTM] I am surprised that Rhoda had the nerve to leave for the meeting in the first place with Pea so sick.  At least she got to see her little namesake Rhoda Mae Tillman before she turned around and went back home to take care of her sick boy, Pea.

28  Day   he is no better    Captain and Lillie planting corn   I waiting on Pea   his bowels running off fearful..   wont get a Dr  think they would kill him..   give oak bark sage and rub with linament   beginning to get easy)     (plant potatoes
BTM] Pea is still sick with what Rhoda called scarlet fever earlier, and she has no faith in the Dr. to take care of her youngest son right.   Rhoda took care of him with her own remedies, which seemed to work.  Early spring was a very busy time, getting the garden planted.  So far we know that they have cabbage, turnips, corn and potatoes planted for this spring.

29 Day    better to day and as ill as a cat    think now he will get well     Fruit Tree man come   did not Stay   think Pea has measles
BTM] Pea on the mend and most likely giving Rhoda fits wanting to get out of bed.
Seems like if it is not one sickness like scarlet fever,  it is another like measles, that comes to the TOTTY house.

30 Day of March    Ice this morning    fruit tree man here again   captain subscribed
{JKW}In the papers of Lewis H. TOTTY and his daughter, Minnie TOTTY  WALL, are several orders for fruit trees and post cards confirming the order and giving the date of delivery.  Examples:
OTTAWA NURSERY  - Ottawa, Kansas
They delivered to St. Joe, Texas - Nov. 8, 1894  Amt due - $10.95 for 11 trees
LONE STAR NURSERY - Denton, Texas
"The nursery stock you bought of us the past season will be delivered at Forrestburg on Wed. the 11th of November, 1896.  Your bill amounts to 3 dollars and 50 cents....." 
Guess there were salesmen going around  in the early spring taking orders for the coming winter. Different trees bought by the Lewis TOTTY's and Melvil WALL's were peach, apricot, apple, and cherry.  Would love some of those pies.

31 Day    Captain and Lillie planting corn   Peas eyes Sore    I washed   got dinner..  got on Joe went to Jases   Louisa Mollie and Mrs Rollins there   all geting along very well   found mins little calf   and this is the last day of March   cold to night   wind roaring   got Rose up with a calf
BTM] Planting the garden seems to still be number one on list of things to get done.  Rhoda has her hands full with taking care of  Pea, doing the wash, getting dinner and other day to day chores.  No wonder she wanted to get away and go for a visit.  Mrs. Rollins was the neighbor of s-i-l Jason and dau. Bettie (Totty) TILLMAN.  On the 1880 cns she was living in HH#351/352 with husband Charles ROLLINS 25,   (Mrs.) Emily 23, Edmond 5, Annie 4, Wm 2, Evaline 1, Walker 1 mo., and James Marshall 25.   Dau.,  Louisa and d-i-l Mollie there also to see the new baby Rhoda.   Rhoda sounded like she was so proud when she found one of their new baby calves.

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Transcribed from Original Diary by Birdie (Totty) McNutt ©2002