Beckham Co. OK Harvey Morrison's Diary - 1926 Submitted by: Bill Morrison ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Here is the final Diary written in your area. I will append to it my grandfather's Obit. Good day! Bill Morrison, Waco Harvey's journal book in which he wrote his 1925 daily diary also contains his entries for the first two months of 1926. Those entries follow. Each page begins "Date Diary for (the month) 1926." _____________________________________________________________ Diary for Jan 1926 F 1 Got up early Leo went to fix fence on North 1/2 North of R R one of the Suttons helped him & the other one went to Hickeys & got the stalk cutter etc Leo & me then went to Geneva's & took dinner Martin & Sallie were there sure had a fine dinner & chicken & dumplins I stayed there all evening & Leo fixed fence & put the stock in North of R R & then got home late it was warm had not froze all night or day but cloudy. rained a sprinkle at night. S 2 Warm & misting rain most all day & night I was not very well Leo went to town PM it was foggy all night but warm. _____________________________________________________________ S 3 Had a very bad cold set at home Leo went to church about 10 AM I wrote here at 230 PM it had faired off & was warm & nice Leo came home about 430 PM still fair & warm. _____________________________________________________________ M 4 Leo don choirs & went to Jeffersons got a dog & bought a plow went to town PM & I took the underwear back to Rooks & got the money got a lamp & came home late it was cold. _____________________________________________________________ T 5 Got up early Leo went & got his plow at Jeffersons I set at home & read & he went to town & got a load of coal I sent to Mt & Ward for Union suits & sent the ear trumpet back & wrote here at 6 PM. _____________________________________________________________ W 6 Leo don choirs & then went to Bale South of Delhi I set at home & was not well he came back early & it turned cold & two boys from Talazina came & stayed all night & it was cold & snowing late in the night. _____________________________________________________________ T 7 The boys & Leo don the choirs Most all day & then Leo took them to town & shiped them to som one else & came home late It snowed a little most all day but did not get the ground white just a very light snow I was sick got too cold. _____________________________________________________________ F 8 Got up early Leo sent one of the boys after the disk plow at Powers & then went there & helped to load it the boy got back about 3 PM & I wrote here at 325 still cold from the North Leo came in late & did not go back. _____________________________________________________________ S 9 Set at home all day it was cold Leo gon all day & till late. _____________________________________________________________ S 10 Leo went to church & to Emmons for dinner I set at home it was cool Leo went back at night. M 11 Leo don choirs & went to the arbitration between Sutton & McGarr & then bought a wagon of Gipson after going to Uncle Jim Short to se it I got the papers & the Sunday & read & set around rather weak it was cold from the North & mostly cloudy. _____________________________________________________________ T 12 Got up early wrote here at 830 AM Leo still in kitchen fair but cool Leo cleaned up & swept up & don choirs he plowed some in garden & worked around down there I set at house. _____________________________________________________________ W 13 Set at home all day it was fair & nice Leo worked on the incubators most of the day & don other choirs I took a bath PM Leo in town PM. _____________________________________________________________ T 14 Leo still fixing his incubators & other choirs I was setting around as usual it was fair Leo went to town a time or two. _____________________________________________________________ F 15 Got a letter from C. C. that Ike was dead & was to be buried at Myra [in Cooke County, Tx] the 14 or yesterday Leo set his incubator the big one & we went to town I got the promise of a dog from McDaniel we came home early Leo had taken off a hen with 15 chicks. _____________________________________________________________ S 16 Set at home all day not much well wrote here at 1 PM Leo don choirs all morning & went off about 12 noon He came home late. _____________________________________________________________ S 17 Leo went to S S & church & came home early he went & got some eggs PM for the incubator it was cloudy & cool but not cold. _____________________________________________________________ M 18 Set at home all day Leo set the small incubator he went to town a time or two Still cloudy by no rain or snow Leo got the white dog. T 19 Leo went to town AM & to the sale at Gilcreast PM I stayed at home & had a light chill it was fair & nice I wrote here at 335 PM was getting all right Leo bought some collars & a pair of lines he came home early Malone came over Leo don choirs & went hunting it blowed up cold from East. _____________________________________________________________ W 20 We got up late Leo don choirs & then went to town about 2 PM I wrote here at 550 PM it was cold all day but no rain or snow Cloudy Leo came home early it looked like fairing off. _____________________________________________________________ T 21 Got up late it was snowing & snowed probably 2 inches & was cold Orion came by I got Janes letter & set around all day Leo stayed at home all day cold & drifting snow all day Leo went to Malones at night. [Jane was Harvey's sister] _____________________________________________________________ F 22 Very cold but little wind Leo don choirs & went to town about 11 AM I got a letter from Bessie they were back on the old homestead & all well I read the papers & wrote here about 2 PM it was fair but cold Leo came in late & don choirs. [Bessie was Harvey's second child--DOB 1978--of his first wife Esther] _____________________________________________________________ S 23 Got up early et at home read Martin came & got some eggs Leo got dinner & then went to town I shaved & wrote here at 420 PM still cold & snow on the ground. _____________________________________________________________ S 24 Snowing got up late Leo don choirs all morning & drove the horses up to Suttons snowed till 1 PM Leo went off at 2 PM & I wrote here at 4 PM turned warmer & snow melted some. _____________________________________________________________ M 25 Cool & cloudy snow not melting all day Leo don some choirs & then went rabbit hunting I got all the papers & looked over & read most of them and wrote here at 3 PM still cloudy & cold Leo came home late & don choirs. T 26 Got up early Leo don choirs & him & Tom went to town & came back & he got dinner & we eat & then went to Lon Counts & then to town I set at Gillums most of the time got a book & razor blades & a strap razyon & came home early the snow was melting off fast & it was warm & fair Wrote here at 540 PM. _____________________________________________________________ W 27 Set at home all day was not well Leo gon most of day Went to barn & old house late PM it was fair & nice. _____________________________________________________________ T 28 Set at home & read most all day Leo went to town & then back to town at night fair & warmer Shal & wife came out PM to class the hay. _____________________________________________________________ F 29 Got a letter from C C to P.M. read & wrote here Leo not well fair after fog cleared off & wind from South wrote here at 215 PM. _____________________________________________________________ S 30 Set at home & read AM Leo don choirs went to town PM & set at Gillums came home the North road Leo went off at night fair I took a bath. _____________________________________________________________ S 31 Set at home all day Leo went to town & eat dinner at Genevas came home & went off again at night hard wind from the N West. _____________________________________________________________ Diary for Feb 1926 M 1 Stayed at home al day & read the papers Leo got his brooder and bank statements I got a letter from Myrtie it was fair & nice. _____________________________________________________________ T 2 Had a bad spell of some kind of ich it was foggy & cloudy till 3 PM Leo fixed his brooder & then went to town I wrote here about 330 PM it was warm & the sun had shown out a little Leo got some [Ti-teritin ?] I bathed my arms & breast & put it on & it stoped the iching. W 3 Set at home all day Leo worked with his Brooder & hauled some sand I went to the barn & old house it was fair & nice & not cold Leo went up to Suttons at night. shaved PM with new razor. _____________________________________________________________ T 4 Wind from North & cool Leo went to town I set & read the papers till 2 PM wrote here about 330 PM sun shown out PM but still cool Leo worked with brooder & chickens I went to the old house late PM faired off. _____________________________________________________________ F 5 Fair & nice all day Set around Leo went to town & don choirs. _____________________________________________________________ S 6 Set at home all day took a bath & put on clean clothes it was fair & nice all day Leo came in late Tom was here he went to Suttons late. _____________________________________________________________ S 7 Stayed at home all day Leo went to preaching & Brought Rebecka & Barbra & Fletcher out & they had a big time Leo went to Rolands at night fair & warm all day & night. [Rebecca, Barbra & Fletcher were some of Orion's & Anna Mae's children--and my sisters and brother] _____________________________________________________________ M 8 Leo went to town & bought a mule of Cluck & Carmon & came home early I washed the dishes & felt all right then read the papers it was fair & nice AM & the wind blowed up about 2 PM & it clouded up wind from North & getting cooler Jim Haynes brought the mule out I wrot here about 5 PM. _____________________________________________________________ T 9 Set at home & was sick about 3 PM till after night Leo went to Mixons sale & took som hay & sold or engaged some it was fair & nice. _____________________________________________________________ W 10 Set at home all day fair & nice but some cooler Leo took up brige to get out of road & mail box & don choirs The Suttons commenced to plow West of house on cotton stubble. T 11 High wind from the South & dusty Westers got some hay I set at house all day washed the dishes AM Leo went to town AM wrote here at 332 PM Leo don choirs around PM Hill was here awhile (the road man). _____________________________________________________________ F 12 Set at home & read all day most went to the barn & old house Leo worked around the chicks & other choirs the day was fair & nice Leo put back the brige to come from the road to the house & put up the mail box. _____________________________________________________________ S 13 Leo don choirs Tom & Bob came & then went to town then Leo got dinner & took them home & went to town got 2 hens of on Simmons North 80 came home & don choirs I set at home all day was not very well Awful bad dust storm from the West all day. _____________________________________________________________ S 14 Got up late fair & nice wind from North but not high Leo swept up the dust & don the choirs and I wrote here about 930 AM Leo went to church & SS at town I washed the dishes & set around Leo came back early & went off again PM & at night fair & cool wind from the South. _____________________________________________________________ M 15 Set at home & read the papers Sunday & some others The Suttons finished plowing West of house Leo don choirs & went to town & killed some rabbits PM I went to old house late cool from south & windy. _____________________________________________________________ T 16 Leo don some choirs & went & helped the Suttons rake & burn weeds North of R R AM the Revert boys came just before dinner & they helped burn weed awile PM it was cold & a dust storm from the South I set at home & wrote here at 420 PM Leo gon to town dusty & cold a short dust storm at 530. _____________________________________________________________ W 17 Got up early the boys [Revert boys??]went to school Leo burnt weed on North 1/4 most all day it was fair but windy not bad though I read & went down in the alfalfa paches PM it came a bad dust & wind storm from West about 5 PM but only lasted a little while was not cold only about an hour. T 18 Got up early there was a high wind & dust storm had commenced about 1 AM Leo took the boys to school & we both set around all day Leo don choirs it was the worst storm we have had for a long time about the worst I remember & cold from the North Leo went after the boys to the school house at 4 PM still bad I wrote here at 415 PM wind layed some about sundown Leo set the incubator at night. _____________________________________________________________ F 19 The day was fine & fair the boys went to school I went to town with Leo tryed to but a cow set around Gillums awhile Uncle Tom Howard came out with us set & read & went to the old house about 5 PM. _____________________________________________________________ S 20 Set around all day Leo & the boys gardened some put out onion sets etc & we all went to town PM Leo bought the boys some clothes came home early don choirs had a pain in my back. _____________________________________________________________ S 21 Down in my back or hip stayed at home all day Leo & the boys went to S S & preaching at Erick & the on a jaunt PM & then don choirs & went to preaching at night it was still fair & nice. _____________________________________________________________ M 22 Set around all day the boys went to school & Leo went to town Leo burnt weeds most all day & they raked weed in the pasture PM & the boys burnt some it was cool from the North I was still down with my hip or back could hardly walk. _____________________________________________________________ T 23 Rather nice & pleasant all day not much cold Leo burnt Weeds & went to town late I set at home & read three days mail & the Sundays it was fair & warm. _____________________________________________________________ W 24 Wrote a letter to Z A [ Zenas]& to the Alexander Drug co & wrote here about 9 AM it was cool from the North & cloudy set at home & read was cripled in the hip with cold or rumatisim. T 25 Set at home all day was still cripled in the hip joint Leo worked on the North place fixing lots etc it was fair till late then blowed up cloudy & dusty from West & North. _____________________________________________________________ F 26 Set at home & read & smoked Leo & the boys worked on the lot at the North place it was windy from the N W & cool but fair wrote here about 3 PM Leo & the boys went to church at night at Baptist church. _____________________________________________________________ S 27 Set at home all day still fair & cool Leo & the boys worked on the lot at North place the boys went to town & Leo did not find them when he went but found them at church at night. _____________________________________________________________ S 28 It was cool but fair Leo & the boys went to S. S. & church AM Pleiades & Bud & Josie came about 1030 I had just put on the turnips They stayed & eat dinner & looked around & we all then went to Orions & stayed all evening & then came out & they went home & Leo & the boys went to preaching at Baptist church fair & warm at night my hip was pretty bad with cold or rhumatism. This will finish this book." =========================== That completes my transcriptions of Harvey Morrison's diaries written in western Oklahoma. His obituary was published in the Erick paper and is set forth below with my corrections of some facts included: Harvey's death was reported on the front page of the Beckham County Democrat on 13 January 1927 and the article is set forth below. [Harvey's body was moved from Spearman to Gruver cemetery.] "In Memoriam" "For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself."--Phil. 3:20-21. HARVEY MORRISON Harvey Morrison died Jan. 5 (sic-6), 1927 at the home of his daughter Mrs. F. A. Shapley at Spearman, Texas where he had been visiting since Thanksgiving. He was born in Minn (sic-McMinn) County, Tenn. July 6th, 1848, going to Texas in 1869 where he lived in Cook (sic) and Montague counties until he came to Erick in 1907. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Josie Morrison and seven children, three sons, Zenas A. Morrison, Peoria, Ill., Leo E. Morrison and Orin (sic-Orion) Morrison of Erick, Oklahoma and four daughters, Mrs. Bessie Powell, Newlin, Texas, Mrs. Myrtle (sic-Myrtie) Shapley, Spearman, Texas, Mrs Pleidaes (sic- Pleiades) Latham and Mrs Venus Martin of Shamrock, Texas. Also one sister, Mrs Jane Minnis of Gainesville, Tex. twenty grandchildren to mourn his passing away. He was a consecrated member of the Baptist Church for many years before his death and he was always present at Sunday School and Church services unless kept away by sickness. The many friends of H. Morrison will always remember him for his unfailing good nature for he was never in too much of a hurry to stop and cheer up a friend with his ready and original wit. He was never known to use profane language or tell an obscene story setting a living example which we should all be proud to follow. Mr. Morrison kept a daily diary for sixty years, writing daily regularly until a week befor (sic) his death. Unfortunately a part of the diary was destroyed by fire when his home burned here three or four years ago. This diary has to be read to appreciate what a clean and honorable life he has lead. His family can look with pride on an honorable and well spent life. --A Friend."