Peeking Through a Window in Time
As mentioned in the previous post, Anna Maria started to keep a journal in December of 1873. Ella Hodges was 15 years old that year and George Burns was 23. I don't think he thought of her romantically at this point, but I can imagine her coming over to the Burns house with her mother Philena to work on their sewing with Anna and Lydia and maybe fancying George from afar. On December 18th, Ella and her mom came over to the Burn's house and Ella stayed a few nights.
On the 19th, Anna wrote that while George went hunting, "I finished stockin set up on other spinner, little stocking yarn Lyd made two shirts for John, She is Smart you know. Ell worked on her dress".
How cozy. I picture snow falling outside and the fire burning warmly inside as the women worked on their projects. The reason I believe Anna thinks Lyd is smart for making the shirts is because she is perhaps trying to catch John as her husband--which she does.
Bizarre entry on the Christmas Eve. "Omer stuck sticks up the calves think he got whipt a little think calves will die". He was just 3 years old. What was he doing alone with the calves at that age? I'm guessing his first few years of life were a bit hard and confusing. He was born the year his family moved to Iowa and he had already lost them by this point.
I'm not sure of George's character. On January 2nd, it sounds as if Anna may be a little fed up with her son. "George slept all day. Lyd & I done some mending believe George says he went to the vilage with Ose Jonson at night don't know whether he did or not don't care".
I get the feeling George may have enjoyed his drink because he is out most nights off over to Leets. On an 1881 map of Stockton I find that Mr. Leets lived just down the road from Mrs. Burns. I think that Leets was the local pub.
On the 19th, Anna wrote that while George went hunting, "I finished stockin set up on other spinner, little stocking yarn Lyd made two shirts for John, She is Smart you know. Ell worked on her dress".
How cozy. I picture snow falling outside and the fire burning warmly inside as the women worked on their projects. The reason I believe Anna thinks Lyd is smart for making the shirts is because she is perhaps trying to catch John as her husband--which she does.
Bizarre entry on the Christmas Eve. "Omer stuck sticks up the calves think he got whipt a little think calves will die". He was just 3 years old. What was he doing alone with the calves at that age? I'm guessing his first few years of life were a bit hard and confusing. He was born the year his family moved to Iowa and he had already lost them by this point.
I'm not sure of George's character. On January 2nd, it sounds as if Anna may be a little fed up with her son. "George slept all day. Lyd & I done some mending believe George says he went to the vilage with Ose Jonson at night don't know whether he did or not don't care".
I get the feeling George may have enjoyed his drink because he is out most nights off over to Leets. On an 1881 map of Stockton I find that Mr. Leets lived just down the road from Mrs. Burns. I think that Leets was the local pub.
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| According to Beeradvocate.com George Ehret was the biggest brewer in the county in 1877 |
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