Jennie Rice Diaries
Contributed by Floyd E. Barney of Covelo, California
November 22, 1886
November 22, 1886. Mrs. Burgess came down and we settled in full to date. She says Mr. Crowl said he had read nearly all my diary and also that Geo. Burgess and Craig read it. How little I ever thought anyone would ever read it. Well, I hope that they are satisfied as to what sort of a woman I am for the account I give of myself.
I worked, children studied and Mr. Freeman went hunting this p.m. Picked over apples. Mrs. Burgess came, I gave her apples and tacks. ----- what C. said on my note book.
Mr. Freeman went hunting and returned at noon, Mr. Crabtree here and borrowed a sack of flour and 16 pounds of coffee and he told me since he returned from Weaverville that someone was at his house talking about our winning the slander suit and that Mr. Crabtree testified falsely and that he Blueford had heard that Geo. W. Burgess said that Rice was at the bottom of Billy Nowlin’s killing the same to Ferguson and Dave Willburn and one armed Brown told Mr. Crabtree that he (Brown) told Geo. W. Burgess not long since when he said Crabtree lied in his testimony that he (Brown) had heard him say so 20 times and to Mr. Ferguson and Dave Willburn and also that he (Brown) heard Geo. W. Burgess say that he went to Crabtree’s and said the say so that Crabtree would go and tell Rice that he (Geo. W. Burgess) said the same thing at his own table where Crabtree and myself were present and your wife said “George you are talking too much.” Bert took the wash up to Mrs. Burgess and she has my washboard and wringer. My finger is very sore, I fear I have proud flesh in it. Had to let Mr. Freeman take my wedding ring off and oh how it hurt to get it off. What a dismal feeling took possession of me to have it off, I wonder where C.B. is and if he thinks how lonesome I am here. Mr. Freeman isn’t well he coughs fearfully and has the facial neuralgia today, he read aloud to the children tonight and then wrote in his diary.
November ??, 1886
November 26, 1886. Lovely day. Mr. Freeman went out hunting just at daylight this a.m. We all arose early to get our work done. Eddie Burgess came down twice and the last time I let him have 18 pounds of bayou beans. Mr. Freeman returned from hunting at 10 a.m. Wasn’t successful. Mr. Freeman says he wonders how certain parties will admire the results of a slander suit if they are fool hardy enough to undertake one. Mrs. Burgess is coming down to talk over fixing a Christmas for the children after she finishes washing. I like to win the love of little children and make happiness for them and so I proposed that she and I try to make a pleasant time for them. I’ve felt for 2 or 3 days as if C.B. was coming home and sure enough if he didn’t walk in unexpectedly this p.m. about 2 o’clock. We were all surprised as we didn’t expect him for several weeks yet. The children and Mr. Freeman have severe colds. I left Mr. Freeman to give C.B. the details of events during C.B.’s absence and so he and C.B. had a long confab. C.B. was convulsed with laughter when Mr. Freeman informed him that I proposed Mr. Freeman should keep a diary in Swedish of passing events. Mrs. Burgess gave him a warning that his life was threatened but as long as she staid or lived in the pasture he was safe and hinted that I needn’t be too sure of living. It seems that as I remain sealed to C.B. in a business as well as in a wifely fashion I am deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor by Gen. Brains and his regiment and their verdict seems to be that I’m to have my good name smirched and bedraggled by their slanderous talk. But our Father be praised they can’t soil my conscience whatever else they may see fit to try to do to injure me. Well all my life I’ve tried to adhere closely to truth and the good and the beautiful and have had many occasion to be hear-tily thankful that I’ve done so. Now at 35 years of age I will not about face from them through human agency our good God helping me. C.B. told me he had made his will and left everything in my care but no real property could be sold till Ethel is of age and Jas. N. Gillett is to be the attorney and I.G. Wickersham and W. Hill advisors and in case of our death the children’s guardians. Over a year ago he gave me the Lake and Homestead but didn’t record the deed and now I’ll have to have it done. I wanted to ask C.B. if he provided for Clara but felt a great delicacy about doing so and therefore I do not know. Mr. Freeman hunted, Bert plowed and Papa rested.
November 25, 1886
Thurs. Nov. 25, 1886. What a busy cheerful crowd of memories come scurrying through my brain this Thanksgiving night and yet they are akin to pain and resemble sorrow only as the mist resembles the rain. (Mrs. Abbie Burgess here several hours) 17 years ago tonight I was in Brimfield Mass. at Aunt Anna Wyles elegant home, helping receive the 200 guests invited to my debut party. The entire house was refurnished and all the members of the family and the servants to, had new suits in honor of the occasion. Since then I bid Salem Darius Charles goodby, he was my chum and is yet my friend. Sailed back to California, married a wealthy widower - old enough to be my father because I believed I could love him and that he’d be good to me and more than all because he promised to care for Mama and not separate us. Then came Bert and then Alma was born, then Mama passed into the spirit life. Next after Mama came Uncle Marcus L. Converse’ death and Grandpa Wyles and then dear Aunt Ann Picket Wyles and then more of the family and then came other heartaches and trials and changes came and now I am in these forsaken Mountains. C.B. says while he was in San Francisco, Doc Griswold (one of the detectives told Mr. Cartin he was one of Pinkerton’s detectives in New York about my exploit with that scoundrel that came to rob me while I was alone over at the Oak Homestead and concluded not to molest me and Doc. said that I was the bravest of little women. Mr. Cartin said I surely has grit. Mr. Freeman bought Bert’s wild cow and paid him $15.00 for it.
November 26, 1886
Friday 26. Lovely day, this day has been so perfect that it had a spice of heaven in it. Mr. Freeman called me early and I arose and wrote letters to G.C. Gillett and he got breakfast, We sent Bert to town with letters and he returned this evening about 7 and had bought Ericks Christmas magazine and stamps etc. Mr. Freeman hunted today and fixed his gun. He killed a big buck. C.B. plowed this a.m. in Clara’s pre-emption field and this p.m.at the same place. Jas. Ross and he talked. An unknown man was seen prowling around there. Mrs. Abbie Burgess was down today and got the rest of the stockings to mend and had a few words with Mr. Freeman. Bert says Craig Thomson told him coming home today that he’d something on foot that would yet get C.B. and Freeman but I was alright and C., Bah! I likely to believe the latter. Craig spoke well of me and said he liked me well enough and had no quarrel with me etc. Well I wonder if he is silly enough to believe that I’m so shallow as to accept (under the circumstances) such talk as sincere.
Mr. Freeman bot Bert’s wild cow and Alma late this p.m. went into the pasture to gentle the wild hogs by feeding them corn and when she passed the Zeek Burgess home they told her the wild cow was mired and she hastened home to inform Mr. Freeman. Papa plowed and had Norman with him all day, I had the usual delightful round of drudgery to plod through. C.B. says the woman who has rented our Blocksburg hotel has fixed it up so you would hardly know it. Well, if I did create a world of my own to live in, what a burden life would be. Another Edenic day.
November 27, 1886
Sat. Nov. 27. Mr. Freeman brought in the buck he killed yesterday and this p.m. salted it down, He arose early and went to the assistance of his cow and was just in time to save her life and has been tending to her often today. He opened a barrel of Golden sugar for me this p.m.. He says he is going to stay with us. He is learning to understand and like C.B., Charles isn’t easy to understand.
C.B. plowed and Mr. Ed Burgess came past and said Brady Tuttle , is out here so after dinner Bert went over to see if he could find him. C.B.’s hair is turning white so fast and he isn’t at all well. Mrs. Burgess came and got $1.00 coffee and sugar (Golden). God help me to systemize my work and life and make C.B.’s home and old days pleasant for him. Grant oh Father to me the power to make him love Thee.
November 28, 1886
Sunday 28. I’ve made a mistake all the way through this diary and dated it one day ahead. C.B. went to Hettenchow this a.m. and took Mrs. Elgie Holman her package. Mr. Freeman arose before and called me and by the time I was dressed and went out into the kitchen he had gotten his breakfast and was eating it. He went to see how his cow was and then went hunting and returned about 11 a.m. As we were finishing breakfast, Will Sloan and Al Burgess came to get his heifer that jumped into the pasture. Bert went to help them.
John Crabtree came after a sack of salt and I let him have it but don’t know if C.B. will approve, Alma took Carry and went to look for the heifer we’re milking. Mrs. Zeke Burgees came down the p.m. and I left her to Mr. Freeman’s mercies to entertain as I had writing to do.
She told him she had nothing to eat but beans and bread and sugar and cried over her troubles and he came quietly to me and told me and I told him to give her some deer meat, beets and a squash and he did. I feel worried about the way C.B. looks. I fear he is failing fast. What will we do without him.
God grant he shall grow better and that I may have the brain power to compass my life’s work. How I pity Craig, and Geo. W. Burgess and Crowl for entertaining low base feelings toward C.B. and I think I may come in for a share that they do. Another day of spiritual beauty.
November 29, 1886
Monday 29. C.B. did not return tonight as I thot he would. His life has been threatened so much that I’m always anxious when he is off. Mrs. Holman told me when I stopped all night with her while enroute to Weaver that during one day she had a vision of C.B. riding down into a steep dark brushy woods and of someone shooting him from ambush while he was crossing the stream and that it was so terrible real that she wanted to come over and warn us and was tempted to undertake to walk over.
Mr. Freeman arose early and called me. he plowed and sharpened the plow point and tended his cow and made a call on Mr. and Mrs. Burgess. He says that while he was in Weaver he and Mrs. Abbie Burgess had a square settlement. I feel sorry for her in spite of the many failings for she has a soul and is a wife and mother. God help her need soul and needy wife to a loving knowing of Thee. Usual work for the children and I. Norman drove the horses for Mr. Freeman. Bert went off vaqueroing. I ought to write a letter tonight but feel so dull and sleepy. Well it seems to be getting to be quite the habit for this family to be scattered. It seems to me that I am growing so coarse and heavy. I sometimes wonder why I should be inbred with such an intense burning desire to attain to the heights of all that is good, beautiful and great and such torrents of passion of thought surge through my brain. If I am to remain one of the common herd the balance of my life and all this tempest of feeling and love of the beautiful in a homely woman. The weather is so, so lovely.
November 30, 1886
Tuesday 30. C.B. came home from Hettenchow just before tea time. he called on Mrs. Holman to get Mr. Freeman’s watch and she told him about her vision and wanting to get to Blocksburg to sign the necessary papers so she can --------. C.B. said as she had kept ?care he’d help her go to Blocksburg if it was necessary and she asked his advice about marrying Jas. Willburn. She objected to marrying with Jas. Willburn on account of his love of liquor and his half-breed children. C.B. told her she was free white and 21 and ought to be able to decide for herself.
Mr. Freeman arose at daylight and called me and went to attend his cow and we ate when he returned and then he and Norm went to Clara’s pre-emption claim and plowed all day. Alma and Ethel helped me do the house work and make the Christmas mince meat. The children all have serious coughs, Mr. Freeman’s cough is now better and his facial neuralgia is beginning to bother him. C.B. don’t look right and it bothers me, for I fear it is the fore runner of another brain attack. Oh if I could only cure the children up and get my sewing done before Christmas and the children’s presents ready for them. There are the children’s lessons learned and recited and how can I compass it all. I’m willing enough but it seems that hurry as fast as I can I can’t do it all. I often wonder if other mothers feel the burden of work so acutely as I do. Men, when they are crowded with work that is necessary to be done they rush off to get some one to assist them but a woman must manage somehow to get along. Lovely day.
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