July 19
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
July 19, 1997
Up at 6:30. Worked from 7-close. Dad picked me up. Stopped by Mom’s and said hello. Came back here and took a nap. Went to pool for 1 hour. Came back and showered. Em ate dinner with us. Talked to Courtney. Colored Doodle Art.
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
July 19, 1996
Watched Rosie O’Donnell. Talked to Courtney. Talked to Ashley and Zach also. Went to Pantry and Shannon’s. :( Crew went out to Applebee’s for dinner. Fun. Spent night at Courtney’s. Miss Alex. Want to kiss him again.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
July 19, 1960
Did just a little ironing before going to have hair done. Home at 10:30 so finished ironing before noon. In P.M. took a walk to Mrs. Sears. Stopped in at Nolan’s. Glad to see me. Home before 5:00 and out to eat.
Marcy S., age 20, Tennessee
July 19, 1944
Up at 6:30 to practice. Pop got up, too, and waxed the front porch. It was very dark and started to rain about 7. It was fun walking to work in the rain. I had no more than gotten to the office when the storm broke. The lightning was very close and the rain just poured. I had some papers to do and expected to be hit any minute. Every time there was a flash of lighting the electric fan clicked and scared me to death. It was much cooler after the rain. Just before dinner I got the cinder out of my eye, most unexpectedly. I was busy just about all afternoon. Mum was next door at Red Cross. Little Rusty was running around and making enough noice for 10 small boys! Worthington came in once and typed a letter. Just before 5 Mr. H. dictated some divorce papers and letters for me to type in the morn. Mum had gone to the dentist’s. It was clearing. Pop was at home getting ready to leave for a dinner. Letter from Helen. Mr. Mc. came by the other day and wanted me to go out with him Sunday for a visit but I have to play for Pop to sing at Meth. Church so couldn’t go this time. Helen hasn’t changed a bit. Pop left at 6. I took a bath and left for Kim’s. She and Pan had had a fuss and Kim. was unusually quiet. Kim. went to the P.O. to mail a letter and Pan and I got in the car with a chair and Mr. Young was going to drive us down to Mary’s. Just then Kay came running down to say that Mary had just ’phoned for her to come, too (we were relieved — ’cause it seemed odd that Mary wouldn’t ask K.) and that Mary would be up for us in the car. So we got out again and sat on the porch. Just then Ashley passed and spoke to all and sundry. I don’t think he saw me in the swing but I said “Hi” anyway. He is friendly. Mary came soon and picked us all up. Betsy was already down there and Horace was taking a bath. We all went in the kitchen and spent the next 2 hours helping Mary get dinner. Kimmie was so quiet and nothing we did would make her her usual cheerful self. Pan and Betsy kept us howling. Horace emerged and retired to the living room to read. About 8:30 Kim., Kay and I went in the living room and looked at movie magazines. By 9 dinner was served and yummy was it good! Fried chicken and all the trimmings! We kidded and had more fun. Horace showed us some tricks afterwards and Betsy burnt almost whole box of matches trying to do some impossible trick. After dinner Horace went to the show and Pan and Betsy disappeared, having done their share of the work. Kay, Kim and I took over and wouldn’t let Mary have a thing to do with the dishes. Kim. snapped out of it and got very kittenish. Once she dropped a glass cover and broke it. I undertook to pick up the pieces from the floor, warning everyone to be careful and not cut himself. Then the ironic happened — I tried to pick up a piece by the ragged edge and cut my thumb. The blood just spurted out and Mary rushed me in the bathroom and bathed it with alcohol. Then she put a bandage on it. I kidded Kimmie and she was very apologetic. After the dishes (10:30) we went in the living room and sat around and talked. Pan and Betsy reappeared. Kimmie draped herself across my lap and I played with her hair. All we could get on the radio was the Democratic convention. Mary said Cecil was foreman now of something up at the project. Pan got all excited at the mention of his name and then accused me of blushing! About 11 we prepared to leave. I was very sleepy and had a headache. We all piled in the car and Mary drove me home first. Ashley was just going in the front door. I got ready for bed and could hear George and Ashley having another discussion about “women” but I was too far away to hear distinctly. Felt feverish and sick at my stomach. All night I dreamed and every time I woke up my head felt awful. Gosh! now what am I coming down with??
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
July 19, 1888
I took Nellie home this morning, Vida and Una riding along. We have drawn wheat all day, getting 7 good loads in a stack that is not quite finished. It sprinkled a little once this afternoon, but did not stop our work. Mr. Butler and his brother-in-law, Mr. Moore, were here at supper. We always have lots of jokes and stories when Mr. Butler is around. Kate has gone to the prayer meeting tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
July 19, 1887
Been clerking today. I have to get up early and work late to get my chores done, and be in the store all day too. I wish I were in some good permanent position in some store. I think I would do better than to try and farm it any. I am pretty tired tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
July 19, 1863
We will have cucumbers for dinner today, our first. They come off of Aunt Tena’s vines. Some rogue stole all our butter last night out of the spring house. I think it was George. Matt Ray of Haywood Co. staid here last night & left this morning. Harrie has gone to the spring. Mr. Henry to the Hotel orchard as the Knight women are beating off his fruit so badly. They are a bad set of people. Tena got out the cloth yesterday of the pants. Matt’s dresses look very well. She will get them out next week. Mr. Henry, the children & I went after some rasberries. Pinck & Zona had a fine time of it. We left Willie & the baby with Tena. Very warm this evening. This is the first dog day.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
July 19, 1862
I made Jinnie, Fannie & Atheline an apron sack, some left of the pants Tena got me too. I also made Peter a pair suspenders & Pinck a pair. Wound some yarn late in the evening. Mr. Henry went to Asheville this evening, got back after dark. Got me 16 lbs. of cotton for 2$. Mr. Boyd went & came with him. Newton Taylor stays here tonight. Also Mr. Boyd. Harkins & Night got back from the salt lick with 23 bu. salt. I swept the yards this evening. Nothing of importance going on. Sam killed a kid this evening. Our garden is getting on finely. Our potatoes are nearly all gone. Beans bearing finely.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 34, London
July 19, 1667
(Lord’s day). Up, and to my chamber, and there I up and down in the house spent the morning getting things ready against noon, when come Mr. Cooper, Hales, Harris, Mr. Butler, that wrote Hudibras, and Mr. Cooper’s cozen Jacke; and by and by comes Mr. Reeves and his wife, whom I never saw before: and there we dined: a good dinner, and company that pleased me mightily, being all eminent men in their way. Spent all the afternoon in talk and mirth, and in the evening parted, and then my wife and I to walk in the garden, and so home to supper, Mrs. Turner and husband and daughter with us, and then to bed.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)