Diary of H H Walters - 1881 Donated by and transcibed by Lori Craynor ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************ Feb 6, 1881 Sunday On this day, everything exposed to the weather was covered with the heaviest coat of ice formed by sleet that I ever saw. During the previous night, it rained and sleeted and froze on whatever it fell. By morning the trees were burdened by the heavy weight and commenced breaking down. It was dangerous to pass through the timber and all day the roar of falling branches could be heard. By evening many trees were stripped of branches and some were broken off close to the ground. The sight was a grand one when viewed at a safe distance. A great amount of young timber was destroyed as much of it was covered with dead leaves on which the ice would form. Feb 18 1881 Friday Last day of thirteenth term of school. There were no holidays during the term and not a day was lost by vacation or otherwise. March 1, 1881 Tuesday We moved to our new home from Mr. Cogdill's and found four rooms much more comfortable than one all being the same size. March 26, 1881 Saturday Sowed my cold frame or hot bed as it is often called, it being 15 X 3 3/4 feet in size. The season was very late. July 4, 1881 Monday We spent the Fourth at Stanberry on the same grounds as last year. The shooting of President Garfield cast a damper over the holiday. +++++++++++++++++++++ Transcribers Note : Warning - might be upsetting to some +++++++++++++++++++++ July 22 1881 Friday On the day before, several of my neighbors and myself went to Marysville to witness the execution of the Talbott brothers. We went up in wagons and camped about four miles east of town. The scaffold was erected on a hill in the northeastern part of the city limits and about a quarter of a mile southwest of the crossing of the two railroads. We were on the ground early and stood on the north or front side of the gallows when the hanging took place. A rope was stretched about 40 feet distance from the gallows in a circle to keep back the crowd. Inside this enclosure none were admitted, excepting parties directly concerned, reporters, doctors, and a few others. I had a good view of the proceedings before the trap fell, standing where I did just on the outside of the ropes. About half past one o'clock the bus containing the boys and which was surrounded by a strong guard, came in sight near the gallows. It was driven in the enclosure and stood some time until order was restored. Arm in arm with two Catholic priests, the boys ascended the scaffold and knelt in prayer. They were both very pale; their white faces contrasting strongly with their black apparel. They wore new suits, having dressed for the grave before leaving the jail. Both shed tears while in the bus which stood close to us, but when on the scaffold they regained their composure. Neither addressed the crowd ad spoke in low tones to those in attendance. About twenty minutes were spent in preparation on the scaffold when the boys were requested to stand up while they were pinioned. While this was going on the priests were busy giving consolation. The boys stepped on two light pine boxes placed on the trap door; shook hands; and the next moment the black caps were drawn over their faces. The ropes were hurriedly adjusted in fact too much so in the case of Albert, and the traps sprung. They fell about eight feet with a heavy jerk and dull thud that sounded as if something had given way. The youngest, Charles Edward, aged 17 years, had his neck broken and was dead in twelve minutes. The elder, Albert Perry, aged 22 years, died of strangulation at the end of twenty eight minutes owing to the rope having slipped around in front with the knot over his mouth so that he could breathe. Two minutes before death he gave his last struggle. After hanging 45 minutes the bodies were cut down and put in coffins. Two hearses that had stood in waiting took them up town to their friends. They were executed for the murder of their father the year before. Four weeks before they were to have been hanged but they were reprieved by Gov. Crittendon. We were up then to witness the hanging. A large crowd was present. Many scrambled eagerly for pieces of the ropes which were cut in small pieces and thrown among the crowd. We came back home that evening. I can not say that I have ever regretted going to see this sad sight or that I have ever experienced any bad feelings therefrom. +++++++++++++++++++++ Transcriber's Note: Do these Talbotts appear in cemetery records? Wonder where they're buried? ++++++++++++++++++++ Aug 17 1881 Wednesday This was the hottest day that I ever remember of up to date. The thermometer ranged from 100 degrees to 110 in the shade. The first numbers were recorded in the interior of a brick building where the temperature was somewhat modified by the building. The air felt like that coming from a furnace where it had been baked. But little work was done anywhere. Aug 23 1881 Tuesday We went down to visit my relatives in DeKalb. Owing to the dry hot weather, we started about two o'clock in the morning. and arrived at my mother's about 10 o'clock. As the weather was so disagreeable, we did not visit any among former acquaintances. On Sept. 1st we came home. Sept 5 1881 Monday Commenced my fourteenth term of school, having secured my old school near home for five months at $40 00/100 per month. As the school house was only 25 rods from our house, I boarded at home. Sept. 16 1881 Friday About noon snow began to fall and for two hours the air was filled with it, reminded one of a midwinter snowstorm. At first the snow was damp and fell straight but soon the flakes became finer and lazily took a zigzag course to the ground. By sundown it was nearly all melted but for a while the ground was covered over an inch with it. The storm did not extend over twenty miles east or south, but west and north. It took in parts of the neighboring states. I never saw snow in this latitude and in this region in September before. 1881 This year proved to be one of extremes. It ocmmenced during the coldest weather that I have ever experienced. On Monday morning January 10th the thermometer stood at 30 degrees Fr. below zero. This was about 1 oclock A. M. The oldest inhabitant was for once puzzled as the cold weather continued so long. A great amunt of snow fell which drifted over staked rail fences in places and closed roads for weeks. The drifts in our yard did not melt away until the last of March and ice formed two inches in thickness in a single night during the first week in April. There was no January thaw common to most winters. The freeze up commenced about the Middle of November, closing the canals much soner than expected, and for five months therwewas no mild weather. As a result the spring was very late and the remark was common that summer followed close on the heels of winter. The Missouri river overflowed its bottoms and rose higher than ever known before, doing much damage. The summer, like the winter, bothered the oldest inhabitant also. The weather was very hot and continued so with but few exceptions till late in the fall and gave us but little autumn. The drouth of -81 will never be forgotten by the present generation. The crop of small grain and hay was very fair but corn, potatoes and things needing rain in summer was very poor. In southern Ilinois, corn was so poor that in many places it did not yield as much in the fall as had been planted in the spring. Potatoes and cabbage were so scarce that they were imported from the old country, which was never before known in the history of the republic. The former sold in Stanberry for $2 40/100 per bushel during the winter. Cattle suffered very much for water and a ride through the country during Augsut was made unpleasant by their bellowings. Cyclones were common and did much damage. One on June 12th passed through the southern part of Gentry and the northern part of DeKalb killing several persons and much stock, besides rendering many homeless. There was great excitement during the summer over the shooting and consequent sufferings of President Garfield. The result was a heavy blow to the Republican party in particular and the whole country in general. But few had confidence in his successor. As may be supposed, my summer's work on new land did not amount to much. But I was best off in comparison to town people as we had plenty of provisions, though everything was so scarce and dear. During the winter I taught school at my old school house near home where Minnie and I first became acquainted. +++++++++++++ Transcriber's Note: It's interesting he doesn't give the "oldest inhabitant" a name. Also that he refers to "the old country". My mother heard Henry Walters state that Pres. Garfield was a distant cousin. Garfield's mother was Eliza Ballou, Henry's mother was also a Ballou. ++++++++++++