The Romance of Roosevelt: Frewsburg's Own Rough Riders

A Day in the Life: November 7th


(Aged 14)
Wea.                                             SAT. NOV. 7, 1896               Ther.

Husked 10 bu of corn.  In evening went to a blow out met at Pope Hollow school house from there went past Clarence Love’s + up past Stone's turned around came down past Taylor’s, past grandma’s, Ezra Thayer’s, past our house Charley + I got out there.  We rode on a wagon that had two circular saws on.  Oh what a noise.



(Aged 16)
Wea.                                             MON. NOV. 7, 1898               Ther.

Ma + Effie went to town.  Effie had 13 teeth out.  Roosevelt spoke in town today about 75 men from this town went up on horseback.  I rode to school with Ada Page
Roosevelt and his Rough Riders in  1898


(Aged 17)
Wea.                                             TUE. NOV. 7, 1899               Ther.

Waited all day for our pay but didn’t get it.


(Aged 18)
Wea.                                              WED. NOV. 7, 1900                 Ther.

Husked corn part of the day.


(Aged 19)
Wea.                                              THU. NOV. 7, 1901                Ther.

Finished putting in 2nd bent.


(Aged 20)
Wea.                                               FRI.  NOV. 7, 1902             Ther.

Done all of the chores along.  Got up at 4 A.M. + got through work at 7 P.M.  Worked on road 6 1/2 hours drawing gravel.  Alice cleaned the house Ma helped her.


(Aged 21)
Wea.                                              SAT.  NOV. 7, 1903                  Ther.

NO ENTRY MADE


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Editor's Note: At first I didn't take blowout to mean a party but rather some rural tradition unknown to me where the community clears the roadside for the oncoming winter but why couldn't it just be a big party or parade of everyone's big farm equipment or the like?  Sometimes I over think  the possibilities when the truth is the simplest answer.

In 1898 it must have been marvelous to see 75 men on horseback riding to hear Teddy Roosevelt in Jamestown.  What a terrific, sexy image.  However the antithesis to this romantic vision could not be starker than Effie losing a baker's dozen of her teeth. How utterly miserable is that thought?  She must have been getting dentures but oh my goodness she had to have suffered that day.

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