June 12
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
June 12, 1997
Up at 10:30! Watched some of “Rosie” and then “Caryl & Marilyn.” Sean called me. Ate lunch. Picked up application at Glenaire. Came home. Made a tape for Renee’s birthday. Did yoga. Drew a pic of me and dad for Dad’s Day. Went to Eddie’s and baked a cake. Had pizza and T.V. Came home. Showered. Talked to Ashley. Zach got up with Leslie! :( Made Renee a card and wrapped her tape. Not asleep till midnight!!!
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
June 12, 1960
Up early as usual. Lo and Geo out to cabin, nothing new there. Picked Carrie up and came back just reading etc. Lo had a little rest. Took Carrie home at 2:00 and went to cabin to work. Cleaned up garage — wood pile. Put everything on truck ready for Jim in the morning. Inky had kittens in big crock while we were working. Came in at 8:30 Pink and Marian here. Left at 10:00.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
June 12, 1944
(m) Beautiful day but warm. Up at 7 to work at 8:30. Nothing eventful that I can remember. Home at 12 for lunch. Betty had been washing clothes. Back at 1 and wrote Helen when I’d finished work. Before I left Mr. Harris loaned me The Robe to read. I really didn’t want to especially because Mr. Carson and Mr. Berry had both said it was sentimental but I decided to try it anyway. Mr. H. has the habit of coming in when I’m typing and talking away — I have to stop and listen and get slowed up! But he’s so jolly, I don’t mind! Home about 5. Bath and good supper. Betty loves raw carrots — we all do for that matter. Mother put a huge one on her plate at supper for a joke! About 7 we all drove to town. Mum and Dad went to the Princess to see “The Uninvited” and Betty and I had seen it but we couldn’t decide whether to go again or not. Betty wanted to see the one at the Webbo more, though, so we went there — I’d seen it, too. Red Skelton in “Whistling in Dixie.” It was a scream. Out about 9 and went to car to wait for Mum and Dad. They both enjoyed “The Uninvited” a lot. Mum said she had to hold Pop down a couple of times! Dishes and to bed. I’m actually looking forward to going to the office now!
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
June 12, 1926
Nannie was 16 during 1870, and so remembers all the happenings of the war quite clearly. I often get her on to it on Fridays, and she gives great accounts, especially of the ‘Einzug’ [entry of the army] into München. – I was dreaming all last night that Wellington was in Cork Harbour with a man-of-war, and some Irish Admiral was fighting him in another. I clearly saw some good strategy, and once Wellington lured the other out to sea, then turned back with incredible swiftness, passed by the promontory where I was standing, and then a sword was hurled into the bank of a wide channel. This, in my dream, meant that the Irish vessel could not enter that stream. After there was fierce mix-up of Páp and I saving the families of the respective admirals. It was about the most singular dream I ever had. – Could not go to school to-day, as Páp had to take Mám’s lessons at School of Music, and I stayed at home in case she wanted me. She was a little better, temp. 100, but had a terrible headache, and would eat nothing. I did messages this morning, did some school-work, and got at my bike. I had to give up in despair mending the puncture. Both tyre and tube are destroyed after lending the bike to Willie Groeger some time ago. Had a good long Harmony lesson and also piano lesson, Mám hearing me in bed. Paddie actually gave me a tyre of his and working till 11, I got tube settled and tyre on!
*(Original Archive Copyright © Estate of Aloys Fleischmann. The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive by Róisín O’Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Used with permission.)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
June 12, 1887
I arose about 5:30 this morning and took care of Jimmie and built a fire. Dor and I got ready for church and started just as the last bell rang. It was children’s day, and the church was trimmed up. We came back by Neill’s and told them we would come over there this afternoon, but Kate has been feeling too tired to go anywhere, so I did not go away from home. Dor went with Fred Neill out to his farm. Fred Waters came home with him and made a short call. The baby has not been feeling very well tonight, but has been good about all day, and smiling at us all.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
June 12, 1862
I cut out some pantletts for Zona & myself today. Did not work much at them. Mr. Henry & I took a long walk, went to where Johnston’s negroes were at work to get Mr. A. B. Jones’ Carolinian, to hear the latest news of the battle. We got it & sit down under a tree to read the most of it. I have the headache a good deal this evening from eating onions at dinner. It was late when we came back.
*(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
June 12, 1667
Up very betimes to our business at the office, there hiring of more fire-ships; and at it close all the morning. At noon home, and Sir W. Pen dined with us. By and by, after dinner, my wife out by coach to see her mother; and I in another, being afraid, at this busy time, to be seen with a woman in a coach, as if I were idle, towards The Turner’s; but met Sir W. Coventry’s boy; and there in his letter find that the Dutch had made no motion since their taking Sheernesse; and the Duke of Albemarle writes that all is safe as to the great ships against any assault, the boom and chaine being so fortified; which put my heart into great joy. When I come to Sir W: Coventry’s chamber, I find him abroad; but his clerk, Powell, do tell me that ill newes is come to Court of the Dutch breaking the Chaine at Chatham; which struck me to the heart. And to White Hall to hear the truth of it; and there, going up the back-stairs, I did hear some lacquies speaking of sad newes come to Court, saying, that hardly anybody in the Court but do look as if he cried, and would not go into the house for fear of being seen, but slunk out and got into a coach, and to The. Turner’s to Sir W. Turner’s, where I met Roger Pepys, newly come out of the country. He and I talked aside a little, he offering a match for Pall, one Barnes, of whom we shall talk more the next time. His father married a Pepys; in discourse, he told me further that his grandfather, my great grandfather, had 800l. per annum, in Queen Elizabeth’s time, in the very town of Cottenham; and that we did certainly come out of Scotland with the Abbot of Crowland. More talk I had, and shall have more with him, but my mind is so sad and head full of this ill news that I cannot now set it down. A short visit here, my wife coming to me, and took leave of The., and so home, where all our hearts do now ake; for the newes is true, that the Dutch have broke the chaine and burned our ships, and particularly “The Royal Charles,” other particulars I know not, but most sad to be sure. And, the truth is, I do fear so much that the whole kingdom is undone, that I do this night resolve to study with my father and wife what to do with the little that I have in money by me, for I give [up] all the rest that I have in the King’s hands, for Tangier, for lost. So God help us! and God knows what disorders we may fall into, and whether any violence on this office, or perhaps some severity on our persons, as being reckoned by the silly people, or perhaps may, by policy of State, be thought fit to be condemned by the King and Duke of York, and so put to trouble; though, God knows! I have, in my own person, done my full duty, I am sure. So having with much ado finished my business at the office, I home to consider with my father and wife of things, and then to supper and to bed with a heavy heart. The manner of my advising this night with my father was, I took him and my wife up to her chamber, and shut the door; and there told them the sad state of the times how we are like to be all undone; that I do fear some violence will be offered to this office, where all I have in the world is; and resolved upon sending it away — sometimes into the country — sometimes my father to lie in town, and have the gold with him at Sarah Giles’s, and with that resolution went to bed full of fear and fright, hardly slept all night.
*(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.)