1897 + 1910-11 Quaint Diaries of an Ohio Mother and Descendant of Knox County Pioneers Who Writes Religiously Until the Day She Dies

On offer is a pair of diaries kept by the granddaughter of two Knox County, Ohio pioneers who lived her entire life in Jackson Township. 

The author is Margaret (Melick) Hall (1839-1911). She was born to parents William Melick (1806-1878) and Sarah Beatty (1808-1888). Margaret’s grandparents were David Melick (1784-1867) and Hannah Hankins (1789-1853), who were the “second settlers” in Jackson Township, Knox County, Ohio, arriving there in 1810. Margaret married Allison G. Hall (1835-1912), a farmer, on March 9, 1865. Margaret married Allison after the death of his first wife, Harriet (1842-1861), who was Margaret’s younger sister. Together, Margaret and Allison had five children: Eldora Ella (1868–1956), Major Grant (1873–1943), Addie (1878–1963), Eliza (1880–1966) and Earl (1884–1887). 

Margaret keeps her first diary at age 58, writing daily and filling the book from cover to cover, from Jan 1-Sept 15, 1897. She begins her second diary at age 71. It covers May 21, 1910-April 14, 1911. Margaret keeps the diary herself until March 24, 1911. She died on March 25 at 4:00 am, and her diary was immediately continued by one of her daughters, with the first entry by her daughter written the very night of her death. 

Margaret is a very committed mother and a popular citizen of Jackson. Her writing focuses on the daily happenings in Jackson, mostly as they relate to her husband and children. She touches on her own work as a farm wife, her church and social commitments, local gossip and news (she seems to record the deaths of everyone in town!), and her husband’s farming. As a member of the Melick family, Margaret has close ties to Jackson’s early history, and she frequently discusses her interactions with other Melicks. Some excerpts give a sense of her writing: 

“This is another cold day…we washed. Ally and Bill husk corn in the barn. Bill went to town and got coal oil. Charley Darings had a baby berried [sic]” [Jan 27, 1897].

“...Mages was here Eva was making her black dress. Warden come over him and Mage put a new floor over the well and fixed the pump. Elle and I went out to Rob Melick’s to see their boy Frank he is bad sick” [Feb 13, 1897].

“This was a warm day. Ally went to mill. I went down as far as Add’s we was there for dinner we got word that our carpet was done. Ally went back to town this evening to send the money to the man for weaving of it he lives at Vernon. Silva Wolf had a new girl baby” [April 24, 1897].

“...Ally and Lied went over to mages to shear sheep. Elle ironed. I have been spading and working in the garden all day. James Laughry died tonight at 10 o’clock” [May 19, 1897].

“This is a hot day we picked about 5 gallons of rosberies [sic] we had a man here from Newark here all night he said his name was Peter Stolsberry he was a [medicine] peddler. Lied and Ally put up the hammock” [July 8, 1897].

“...I sowed some turnip seed we killed a chicken for Lide to take to the Rainrock picnic” [Sept 2, 1910].

“...Mrs. Bender got Lides dress done before. 30 C. Ell and Lide took Mrs. Bender to town. I went to meeting . Blanch Mavis died” [Nov 15, 1910].

“...We butchered. Tom Warda Ret and Andy Mavis helped we killed three hogs” [Nov 28, 1910].

“...Lide is gone to town she took Ell down to go to Utica on the hack. Tomorrow she is going to John Howel’s to work. Lide got home before dark. Down to zero this morning” [Dec 10, 1910].

“...We baked bread and pies and got dinner and supper. Lids made popcorn balls. We got 8 postcards for Christmas 4 from Major and 3 from Ell” [Dec 24, 1910].

“...Sarah Hall and Will Melick was here this afternoon a while. Rol Hall was here to get [money] to hire Sims to preach next year. Mavis was here to rent corn ground. I churned. Lide got dinner” [Jan 9, 1911].

“This was a nice day it was cold 8 above zero. Addie come up home this morning went back. Lids…painted some here to day [written by Margaret on March 24, 1911, the entry is then continued by one of her daughters after her death at 4am on March 25th]...Dear Ma died to-night I don’t see how we can…went down to to Mavis the doctor come…Dale…and Mavises come”.

The remainder of the pages are filled by Margaret’s daughter. Here is her entry from just after Margaret died: 

“...Rick Allen, Jose Blue, Leander M, Mrs. Byne, Wardies and Toms, Rubes, Mack, Addy and Frank was here in the PM. Dave Blystone, Sarah and Baeck, Sally and Grace, Elsie Allen went to Utica after Ell and Mages. At midnight, Jim Melicks, Leases, Glenn Blues Elie Allen was here” [March 25, 1911]. 

The diaries are both softcover composition books. They measure approx 8x7 inches and 8x10 inches respectively. The 1897 diary is in good condition save for expected age toning, bends and minor tears. It contains 74 pages and is 100% complete. The 1910-11 diary is in fair condition with some small rips to the cover and some tiny loss to the edges of about half of the book (approx 1mm loss which does not impact readability). Unfortunately, it appears an insect has gotten to some of the pages. The insect damage impacts entries from Jan 20, 1911 until the end of the diary. Varying small holesinterfere with some minimal content from Jan 31, 1911 through the end of the diary. Pages 61-69 are impacted most with approximately 6 words on each page being unreadable. Context is not impacted. Please request photos from seller if this is of concern. The diary contains 72 pages and is 100% complete.

[Side note: on one page in the 1910 diary it seems a previous owner of the diary was using it for genealogy research as they have underlined some names in blue pen and noted some dates in blue pen above Margaret’s writing. This does not interfere with content].