POLK COUNTY, GA - Bios Wozencraft Diary 1814 - 1880 ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Diane Sanfilippo http://members.tripod.co.uk/jworz/index.htm for more information and photos DIARY OF JAMES LAWRENCE WOZENCRAFT 5 Jan 1814 Clarke Co Ga to 8 Jan 1880 Polk Co Ga June 1866 3rd Left Rehobothville early in the morning on foot. Carried my baggage to Eugene Butts who very kindly carried me in a buggy to Rutledge free of charge. Left Sarah a little better but still very sick having been confined to her bed during the last 9 months. Doctors Anderson and Price told me a short time ago that it is very doubtful about her recovery which made it very painful under the circumstances but the necessity of trying to get bread for my children compels me to go. Left Rutledge about 3 o'clock on the train and arrived in Atlanta at 6 ½. Fare $3.00. Left Atlanta at 7 ½ and arrived at Kingston about midnight and stopped at the Smith House. Fare $3.50 4th Paid $1.00 for lodging and left early on the train for Rome where I arrived at ½ past 8. Found the Bridge still unfinished and in the hands of the contractor (Mr. Culver), but the floor laid and people traipsing over. Fenton Hall collecting toll for the contractor. Saw Col. Shorter who told me that he would see Judge Wright and let me know in the morning-went to my old bed in the back room with Jimmy Hill and slept for the night. 5th Saw Col. Shorter but he could give me no answer. Requested me to see Judge Wright myself which I did and he gave me a note to Shorter stating (an understanding he had recommended Mr. Quinn for the Keeper of the Etowah Bridge) that he would be perfectly satisfied with any arrangement that Col. Shorter made with me-Shorter then went with me to Wrights office and they agreed together that I should take the Bridge at 12 ½ percent or 1/8 of the Gross Receipts they guaranteeing that it should be at least $300.00 Wrote a letter to Laura 6th ,7th , and 8th were spent with Attaway and Hall at the 2 Bridges, the Steamboat landing and elsewhere about town. 9th Took possession of the Books and Bridge in the evening. Rec'd a letter from Laura. Sarah worse again. Answered her letter. 10th Nothing of importance 11th Commenced Board with Prince Gray (Col.) he agreeing to send my meals to me at $2.50 per week. (12th, 13th, 14th, 15th) taking toll at the Bridge. 16th Paid Board to Harriet $2.50 for this week. Loaned Prince 25 cents. (17th, 18th, 19th) All quiet at the Bridge. 20th Loaned John Somer $3.00 to buy Nick Nax-he agreeing to give ½ he makes. 21st Nothing worth writing. 22nd Found the river had risen about 3 feet in the course of the night, continued very muddy and rising all day. Another rain lapped south of this place. Rec'd a letter from Sissie. Sarah still worse - vomiting all the time. Toll $8.35 - the highest point reached yet. 24th Found river had fallen about a foot in the course of the night, continued to fall all day. Answered Sissie's letter. About a hundred negroes Gallanting on the Bridge this evening-all sexes and colors. 25th River still falling. Hall at work on Butment. Commenced on 22nd. 26th Rec'd the following dispatch by telegraph this morning: Mr. JL Wozencraft Your wife cannot live but a few days. Signed H.I. Snelling. What can I do? I can't well leave the Bridge--to go there would cost me 20 or 30 dollars. I haven't got that much money--for is there that much due me here for wages besides if I had it - I could do her no good. It would be a great consolation to the children as well as myself if I could be there, but before I can reach there she will either be better or it will be too late--my means are too limited--my necessities too great--to spend any money that can possibly be avoided---life is worth but little to me---But I must live for others. The corpse of Mrs. Norton was carried through the Bridge today on the way to the cemetery-followed by 10 carriages and buggies and a large concourse on foot of all sorts, sizes, ages, colors and conditions. John Summers commenced bringing my meals and having them cooked at $1.00 per week. Ulndine departed and Clara Belle arrived. Wrote to H. D. Snelling at Madison, Ga. 27th Warm through the day. Have rain at night---Col. Foster here from Madison--Gen. Joseph E. Johnson arrived on Stage in the evening. 28th Cool and some high wind all day. Letter from Ida. Sarah very bad -wants me to come home--wish I had the money to do so. Never knew the value of money until 1866 after I am 52 years old. Ulndine arrived 6 ½ p.m. Gen. Johnston left on the train. Paid Frank Mills $3.00 for having my watch cleaned at Seals. 29th Very cool and windy. Clara Bell departed 10 a.m. Judge Wright to see me today. Directed me to pay Revenue Tax between 1st and 10th of the month and turn over balance to Chesley Attaway. 30th Still cool north wind pleasant in the afternoon. July 1 Cool in the morning moderate after. Wrote to Ida. Rec'd in June $108.35. Hall $69.20 Total $177.55 2nd Clear and pleasant The first wheat was brot (sic) to market about the 28th June. Selling at 82 cents per Bu. Went to an exhibition at the City Hall at night, very much crowded. 3rd Still fair. Clara Bell arrived 7 ½ a.m. Settled with Mrs. Summers my board for the past week. Cost me $2.55. Ulndine departed 10 ½ a.m. Warm and cloudy afternoon. Pain under my left shoulder blade today. 4th Rec'd letter from Sarah Jane stating that Sarah breathed her last at 2 o'clock Monday morning the 2nd day of July 1866 after having been unconscious since Tuesday night previous 5 days and 7 nights. My God!! What other troubles are in store for me? Poverty - Sickness - Death. It does seem indeed that I am doomed to endure trouble--intense and unceasing. Is it possible that I can take care of, support, raise and educate our 9 children? If I had my eyesight and strength to work perhaps I could. But Alas! Alas! these are gone and She is gone and money is gone and of course friends are gone too--nothing left to hang a hope on. 5th Very warm some lightening at night---Wrote a letter to Laura ---felt very much depressed and melancholy all day - took a dose of Blue mag last night, did not act but relieved the pain. Rec'd a letter from Frank Bridges promises to send me some money--but will he do it? 6th Ulndine arrived 4 ½ a.m. Clara Bell departed 10 ½ a.m. Toll reached $9.05 today. Warm, lightening in the distance at night. 7th Warm last night and I was restless--dreamed of seeing Wm Robertson drunk - Sarah sick in childbed - myself looking thin with good shoes on. A man from the country sold the shoes off his feet to a negro for 40 cents to buy whiskey with-Some indication but no rain - River clear. 8th 2 men inquiring for a woman riding a stolen horse - Iron grey with a short tail 5 or 6 years old. Horse was Sutton's. Thunder cloud flashed S.E. of this place. Wind and sprinkles of rain here. Bridge full of negroes again in the afternoon. 9th Clear and calm this morning. Restless last night. 10th Bed bugs kept me awake last night. Rheumatism in the hip this morning. Warm, still and dry a.m. Clara Bell arrived 5 p.m. Moved my bedding to Joe Connor's last night. Paid excise tax on Gross Receipts for month of May $5.00 11th Cloudy and pleasant in the morning. Etowah clear ????? muddy. Heavy thunder cloud N.W. at 4 p.m. but no rain here. 12th Heavy thundercloud in the East at bed time last night. Found the river muddy. It rained sometime in the night. Heavy fog early cloud from the East after. Thunder clouds P.M. but no rain. 13th Ulndine came in last night - Clara Bell left at 8 this morning, clear & warm. Hot all day. 14th Clear, warm & calm this morning. (can't read next lines) Very warm all day - Felt very much disappointed about getting no letter from the children. 15th Clear & warm. Thunder cloud east at Sundown but little rain here. Became impatient about a letter - Wrote to Ida - Saw Wallace the Baptist preacher here. A negro boy some 15 years old killed another about the same age with a rock in town yesterday evening. 300 or 400 negroes followed his remains to the cemetery this afternoon. 16th Warm & calm. Clouds from the South. Foggy at 6 ½ A.M. rec'd a letter from Laura giving the details of her Mother's last sufferings & death!!! Her suffering must have been dreadful dreadful indeed. Horrible to thin of -------? Superior Court commenced its session here today. A good many paying but not much money. A man by the name of Lasiter way laid another by the name of Sweney at the end of the Bridge and beat him this evening. I did not see it. 17th Warm, calm & foggy. River muddy and falling. Ulndine departed 8 ¼ A.M. 18th Clear, warm & calm. Clara Bell arr 9 A.M. Wrote to Laura and enclosed a 5 dollar greenback. Toll today $10.05 - Yesterday $10.25 good wheat is worht heare $2.50 per Bu. 19th Commenced board with Joe Comer 20th Court adjourned till next week. Wrote to Diana. 21st Saturday Toll today $13.75. Mr. Garnet lay drunk on the end of the Bridge. Lost his hat. 22, 23, 24th Reading a curious book yesterday & today called Diegesis written by Rev. Robert Taylor and presented to me by James Marks of Caddo parish Lousiana. 25th Court adjourned 26th, 27th Wrote yesterday to Louisville about sewing machine - today to Cleveland Ohio. Sat. 28th Toll yesterday $15.55!!! Rec'd a letter yesterday from Laura. Great complaint about dry weather in Morgan and almost every where else that I can hear from. A man here today inquiring for his wife who he said had eloped with her uncle!! Sun. 29th Wrote to Laura. Sent her $3.50 in change. Gen. M.L. Smith died at the Ten House this morning about 7 O'clock. His remains were off on the evening train to Athens, Ga. 30th Felt feverish & bad - some head ache 31st A man started into an old well today in which there was gas - fell and was killed August 1st Went to see Attaway at night. He refused to take the money for July. Directed me to pay it to Shorter. 2nd Letter from Louisville about sewing machines. Toll for July $228.50 4th Paid Attaway $200.00 & took his receipt. Rec'd letter from Chicago about sewing machine. Toll today $16.55 Paid Mrs. Comer yesterday $8.00 board. 5th Went to Baptist church at night 6th Received a letter from Laura & Ida 7th Wrote to Ida 8th Rec'd letter from M.B. Snelling---Williams from Madison here today. 9, 10, 11th White man drew a pistol on a freed man at end of Bridge but did not shoot. 12, 13th Rec'd letter from Laura containing one from Dr. Anderson. He makes no charge for service while tending on Sarah!!! 14th Commenced letter to Laura 15th Finished & sent off my letter to Laura with 10 postage stamps 16, 17, 18th The body of Mrs Shelton passed through on the bridge about one. They say she was a widow and I suppose poor---as she was carried in an Ox wagon followed by only 4 women & 3 men. 20th Sent a letter to M.B. Snellings 21st Moved my board to Mrs. Shrivers at night 22, 23rd Settled with Comer yesterday. Paid him $6.00-Bal. 0 for board had colic in the morning 24th Letter yesterday from Laura & Ida & Emma. Old Mrs. Harlow came to see me at the bridge. 25th Wrote to Laura - sent $2.00 26th Paid Mrs. Shrivers $4.00 for board up to Wed. 27, 28th A Negro boy by the name of Allick reported to me between 8 & 9 o'clock that there was blood at the other end of the bridge. I examined & found it to be true. A short time afterwards another boy by the name of Allick who lives with Doc Compton found a small bunch of woman's hair in a window of the Bridge about 11 o'clock. Mr. Cooper the Deputy Marshall and several other gentlemen came to the Bridge and examined the blood and hair and seemed to think some foul deed had been committed. Paid excise tax today $86.85. In the afternoon some men searched the river for a dead body but found none. Toll today 45cts!!! 29, 30th Dreamed of Sarah - Received a letter from R. P. O'Neill Dalton inquiring about Sarah's health. 31st Total receipts for Aug. $230.35 September 1866 1st Had a bad pain in the bowels at midnight - freezing & sick stomach-continued until daylight. Pain in my bowels and purgin all day-drank a cup of hot coffee at night and felt better Sun. 2nd A very large procession of Freed men & women trapsed the Bridge about 10 A.M. following the remains of Jacob Black (Col). Wrote to R.P. O'Neal and Thos. T Chapman N.Y. & John B. Ogden N.Y. and Vincent Butterfield, Washington D.C., A.C. Lobdell, Louisville, Kentucky. A poor old man by the name of Reedy was buried this evening. 3rd Reported toll for Aug. to Revenue office-offered money to Attaway-did not receive it. 4th Cure for felon (?) As soon as the parts begin to swell, get the tintchure of cobelia (?) and whop the part affected & cloth (sic) thoroughly saturated with the tintchure (sic) & the felon is dead--- 5th Mailed a letter to Laura last night. Rec'd one from her today 6th Paid Mrs. Shrivers $4.00 last night board up to the 5th. Shade Inman here today. Took supper at the Fenneper House last night. They had excellent coffee. Paid Wright $200.00 7th Very costive & feverish 8th Still feverish & costive - my mind much troubled- had the Blues all day Sun. 9th Took medicine and kept my bed all day Mon. 10th Stayed at the Bridge but sick all day Tues. 11th A great deal of pain felt last night and this morning and again in the P.M.-Dreamed of seeing my mother and Mrs. Snelling. 12th Funeral this morning-Williams child 13th Beautiful clear day - letter from Cleveland about the sewing machines. Burnell Shivers bound over to court for stealing Bishops money 14th Commenced hauling lumber to build a Bridge Keeper house. Letter from Washington about Gift-Enterprise Sat. 15th Still hauling lumber and bricks 16, 17th 7 or 8 (?) at work on the house 18th Settled with Mrs. Shivers & moved my board & bedding to Frank Rauls -Letter from Sissy. Laura sick. 19th Wrote to Silvy - Still at work on house 20, 21st A little negro corpse trapsed (?) The old conducter Webster trapsed with a bloody nose & dirty clothes. He looked as if he had been to an Irish wedding. 22nd They put the roof on the house today!!! 23rd Sun. Heard that Mr. Hi Lumpkin was married to Mrs. Harrison. His wife had only been dead 6 or 8 weeks. Went to Presbyterian Church at night. 24th Frank Clark arrested and his property levied on by the Sheriff. Chimney finished today. Tues. 25th Dreamed last night that I was castrated. 26th Paid Rauls $4.00-Board up to last night 27th Put in the sash and commenced lathing. 29th Letter from Laura. Toll collections $25.25. 30th Wrote to Laura October 1866 Mon. 1st Hawkins put lights in the windows 2nd Hung the doors. Ulndine left 3rd Wed Still warm & clear-corpse passed through. Paid Rauls $4 for board & 50 cents for washing. Soldiers passed through with Allgood a prisoner. Col. Shorter left the city. 4th Moved my trunk and bedding into the Bridge House at night. Sat. 6th Pleasant Sun. 7th warm & pleasant Mon. 8th Commenced white washing - hired 2 negroes $1.00 per day to fill in with work around the house 9th Negroes still out work. Having bad dreams Wed 10th bad dreams 11,12,13,14,15, 16th bad dreams Wed. 17th Letter from Laura & I answered it. I am beginning to be very anxious to get the children up here. Thurs. 18th Another warm & pretty day. O how I wish the children were on the way during this good weather. Sent Laura the Rome papers-Judge Wright came over and gave me leave to buy lumber for basement floor and yard fence. Fri. 19th nice weather Sat. 20th Letters from Ida, Emma sick with flux. Negro funeral Sun. 21st Weather good. J. M. Spullock to see me this morning - wrote a letter to Ida & one to F. M. Bridges at night. 23rd Fair & pretty. Gave W.E. Stewart $45.00 to pay expenses bringing up the children. He is to start tomorrow. 24th Wed Jack Frost made his first appearance this morning. Paid Mrs. Rauls $4.00 board. Up to date. Fired lime kiln. 25th Good white killing frost. Water froze on the plank where I washed- I have taken 5 large Blue pills and no operation yet--- in the last 3 days. 26th Took 5 blood pills and had an operation this morning. Turned warm & rained a little last night - warm today. 27th Slight frost - thick falling fog this morning. Tim Rattence through on his way to Texas. 28th Pleasant day. Maj. A. B. Roy died this A.M. 29th Pretty good rain last night & this A. M. Toll $2.60 30th Johnson slept with me last night. Blowed out lime kiln at dark 31st Quite cool last night and this morning. Dreamed of laughing last night. November 1866 1st Beautiful white frost - pleasant after 2nd pleasant 3rd Warm - letter from M. B. Snelling with G. R. Hooper-also from Sissy. The children started here last Tuesday the 30th October. They've had nice weather so far. 4th Quite warm 5th Mon. Pleasant. Anderson Swanson (Col.) buried this afternoon. Chickens haven't laid - floor finished, gate hung - house scoured looking for children tonight. Tues. 6th Cool and windy. Heard from the children this morning. They camped at Hendersons - 18 miles beyond Kingston night before last. Be here tonight - certain if they have no bad luck. Paid Mrs. Rauls $4.00 for board and 50 cts for washing (sent by Charlie) The last I hope. Wed 7th Sure enough they came 2 hours before night. But She was Not with them and now I miss her. The trip cost me about $50.00 and freight on R Road $19.25. The moving I think has cost me a little over $70.00. But we are all together now-that are living, except Sissy. Hope I shall be better satisfied. Sat. 10th Weather still continues warm, clear & fine. Windy in the evening. Cloudy at night. Sun. 11th Commenced raining before day-ceased around 2 Mon. 12th Clear, cool and nice this morning-dreamed last night of having Sarah in my arms-and seeing Willie and Johnny and Lee. Wed 14th Cloudy & cool. Commenced raining at 3. Laura & Ida went out shopping. Spent $15.00 but got little for it. Don't see how I can clothe the children as they ought to be. Everything is so high. 15, 16, 17th continued rain - frost and ice. River rising - it got up about 5 ft. Commenced falling last night. Sent Dobbin & Cherry out to pasture at Isaac Morrisons. Mr. Huff left after dinner to go to his Uncle A.J. Stewart. Sun. 18th Cool & cloudy. Baptist church at night. Ida, Poney & Georgia with me. Mon. 19th Found the ground wet & still raining this morning. Had a dream. December 1866 30th Poor old diary. 6 long weeks I have neglected you and oh how miserable I have been during that time. I am almost inclined to attribute my misfortune to that cause and beg your pardon. Only 6 days after I began to neglect you my good angel left me and I fell into the hand of Demons-who made me drunk on whiskey and robbed me of my pocket book containing receipts, accounts and $124.75 in money. Believing I should lose my place and be utterly ruined and lost, no friend to assist, no place to go to, no hope of any way to make bread for my children and believing that as a general rule mankind & fortune alike smile only on those that need it not, I drank still more of the accursed stuff until my nervous system was completely shattered and my mind so completely subdued and overcome with shame and remorse that I began seriously to think of choosing between death and the lunatic asylum, but after great suffering both mentally and physically I found that there were exceptions to this as well as all other general rules-Some friends particularly Isaac Morrison and James M Spullock came to me and expressed a deep interest in my welfare and I think made considerable exceptions in my behalf. Also Mr. Wright and Doctor Hillyer and Judge Wright himself came several times to see me and appeared to feel considerable interest in my welfare. Chesley Attaway also came to see me and promised to see Col. Shorter as soon as he comes to Rome and use his influence to have me retained. But since then Shorter has written to Wright to change the Bridge Keeper but Wright refused for the present. I have my idea how it will terminate and if it were not for my children I wouldn't care a Blue Bean instead of it were not for them I think I should give it up at once and be done with it. Oh God have mercy on me. Oh God wilt thou be my God? for Christ sake- for I perceive there is none other that can help me. My condition is deplorable indeed. But Thou knowest my heart, though knowest my sincerity, thou knowest I did not wish or intend to be caught in this. I'm one of my enemies - thou knowest that my heart was heavy on account of my children. .the lap of their mother. Oh God permit her to visit them & comfort them & guard them against the wiles of temptation of this unfriendly world--- Lord Jesus Christ wilt thou intercede for us. Suffer me not to be led into temptation but deliver us from all evil. Thou knowest that I do repent in all sincerity. Wilt thou at this late date accept my repentance that I may hold my promises and yet be able to do something for thy glory. Something in accordance with your will. Something for benefit of my fellow (?) times. though like myself are frail sinful and undeserving. 1867 Sat. Jan 5th Today I am 53 years old and still I am poor and distressed and no prospect of better circumstances. During the last 8 days the weather has been very cold and disagreeable. Commenced snowing last Saturday & the ground has been covered with it ever since till this morning. Now it is tolerable pleasant. The snow is gone. The wind blows fresh and bracing, the sun shines warm, and pleasant but my heart still aches. My mind still gloomy as if some danger was near. Some misfortune hanging over me. Wed 9th Dreamed Sarah was in bed with me in bad health but smiling and pleasant as when she was young. Weather pretty good for the season -cold days-pleasant nights. Sat. 12th Continued cold till last night-raining this morning. Dreamed of seeing my Mother and of singing. Sun. 27th How time flies!!! I see that it has been some 2 weeks since I paid any attention to my diary. Since then we have had some very cold weather and a little moderate. Last Sunday morning I found the ground covered with snow 3 or 4 inches deep. This transcription was originally done by Bonnie Adams Brown ================= note: James Lawrence Wozencraft was the son of Thomas B. Wozencraft b. 1 Jan 1768 in Llansanffraid-yn-Efael, South Wales. He immigrated to the Northwest Georgia mountains when jobs were scarce in Wales. There me met and married Sarah 'Sallie' Wright, daughter of William Wright, Jr. and Mary Ayers. =================================== I'm doing research on the family of Sarah Wright who married Thomas Wozencraft in Clarke Co., GA. Her father, William Wright,was the brother of my ancestor, James Wright, of Columbia Co., GA (now McDuffie) Any info would be greatly appreciated. Sarah's mother was Mary Ayers, daughter of Thomas Ayers of Columbia Co., GA. She had one sister and at least two brothers, William and Joshua. Thanks Sandy Elder