Pratt - Nov 1902
NOVEMBER 1902 - Hiram Pratt Diary
Waveland, Indiana
Note: These diaries were in the Waveland Public Library for decades but were disposed of by a librarian several decades ago. Luckily, another librarian's daughter (thanks sooo much Pam, at the death of her mother, Virginia Banta Sharpe found them in some belongings and gave them back for proper housing. A complete circle; however, only 14 of the 50+ diaries were saved from the library's incinerator. I'm a librarian too and thought since they'd been lost to posterity for so many years that it would be a good thing to transcribe them and give them to the world. They are currently housed in proper temperature/storage at the Crawfordsville District Public Library - typed as they were written
Note 2 : Karen Bazzani Zach (transcriber) was raised in the big 'ol town (500 people) where HA Pratt lived 5 decades before I was born. I remember the building where his little shop was and wish it was still there. What an interesting little place. ALAS! Progress ! Oh, and I've tried to type the diaries as is - mistakes & all
Note 3: Some information about Pratt -- he was born in Parke County, Indiana April 20, 1840 the oldest child of eight born to Erastus & Elizabeth Allen Pratt and died October 12, 1914 in his beloved Waveland, Indiana. He was twice married, first to the love of his life (he kept a life-sized poster of her in one of his cabinets at his barber shop, even long after his second marriage) Eliza Franklin Shaw (born Oct 23, 1841 died Oct 12, 1887), and #2 to his friend, Evaline "Eva" McMains. He was very active in the community where he and Eliza chose to live. He gave generously of his time and money to the Methodist Church in Waveland. For a few years, he served as Marshall of the town. Also, he worked diligently for his Odd Fellows, Rebekah & Knights of Phythias Lodges, was for a time on the town board, and read to those who could not read from the several newspapers he was agent for. Pratt volunteered and served for three years during the Civil War (Co. B, 36th Infantry), and spent time in the dreaded Andersonville prison. He and Eliza adopted a son, Willie Franklin Stump, age two (not sure ever officially or just had permission to take him from the Poor House in Crawfordsville) and he was an amazing young boy (high grades, worked in the church, quite musicially inclined, just an ideal child) until Eliza was taken to the hospital where she was operated on for six cervical tumors (one weighing six pounds) from which she died. Willie went wild after that and he and Hiram's second wife, Eva never got along. He ended-up in Reform School (for stealing a dollar twice from Eva among other small crimes), and later sent home to die due to consumption (what we know as tuberculosis) dying in Hiram's arms on April 12, in 1894. Hiram missed Willie and Eliza more than most I do believe as he wrote about them so often in these diaries. Just wish the rest of Pratt's diaries he wrote for over 50 years as a barber in Waveland still existed :( kbz
Saturday November 1 -- $6.95. Sam I mean Doran Clore 25c for a ¼ of a bushel of nice pears to eat. A daughter of Ex-Gov. Ira Chase is at our house tonight. She is here in the interest of the Christian Endeavor society and will give an entertainment in the Christian Church. "Tom Thumb readings." She is training 40 little children for the occasion. I paid 60c for fresh meat got some pigs feet jelly along with the meat. I was done work by 10 o'clock, but did not get home until 12. A lot of stuff was piled against my door last night.
Sunday November 2 - Took 3 little girls out riding returned in time to take Eva to church. Visited little Willie's grave before going in to hear Rev. Paxon. When church was dismissed, I was in time to take Eva home. After dinner we went over to Russellville and called at Jim McMain's. I layed down on a lounge and was soon in dreamland. It was about 6 when we got home. Milked after dark and went to church. Eva and miss Chase (Electa Chase 32 years old) stoped at the Christian Church. Bro. Paxon preached a good sermon from the text, Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God shall he live."
Monday, November 3 -- $1.75. Paid 60c for a 24 lb sack of spring wheat flour, 30c for New Wrinkle ? ½ lb a composition of popcorn, peanuts and cocoa nut. 5c for a small ? of celery salt. Last Tuesday I sent the Union Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Portland Maine $5.49. The oil wagon did not stop here today. At home sufficient to run another week. Paid 30c Express on the laundry returned. Paid Alice Moore for washing 30c. Prettier weather than we now have could not be expected by anyone. Farmers are busy at gathering corn.
Tuesday, November 4 -- $5.40. Eva went to the Tom Thumb wedding tonight. I had work to do and could not go. I have no doubt that the wedding was a good entertainment, marriage license were granted today to Dr. Lee Straughan and Nellie Kritz, Dr. Ben Harbeson and Lala Kritz. The wedding will take place tomorrow evening at 8 o'clock at Prof. H.S. Kritz's. The girls are twins and the youngest of the family. I voted an unscratched republican ticket today. The weather was fine most all day late this p.m. a little rain fell.
Wednesday, November 5 -- $2.15. Miss Electa Chase of Wabash, Ind left this morning for North Salem, Indiana. She had $18.45 for her part of the receipt to the Tom Thumb wedding. The house was full of people. A rain has been falling all day. The republicans were in the front on yesterdays election. Ind is put down as high as 35,000, Ohio 100,000, N York 10,000, Penn 170,000. This county lost the treasurer-prosecution attorney and judge. To my way of thinking this is a big measurement of the present administration and assures the nomination of Teddy Roosevelt in 1904. Rev. R. Vernon Hunter of Buffalo, NY and a brother-in-law to the twin girls is master of ceremony tonight.
Thursday, November 6 -- $1.85. It is now a surety that the republican party will have a good working majority in the next congress and that the policy of Wm. McKinley will be carried out and that "Teddy" Roosevelt will be nominated for president in 1904. This state (Indiana) gave a greater plurality for the republican candidate for secretary of state then for president two years ago. I had the state agent for the Indianapolis Journal to see me today. He wanted me to take the Sunday Journal but I refused. Sunday is not a day of regular business with me. I go to meeting somewhere on that day.
Friday, November 7 -- $1.75. Paid 5c for ice. Ice has been ordered cut off so there is an end to the ice bills for this season. I assorted 3 ½ bushel of potatoes for sale. We have more than we can use, going to sell some, and in the spring we may have to buy at twice the amount (30c) I get for these I sell. Mary Alfrey took dinner with us today. Mrs. Penn Hanna and Mrs. C.H. Deer spent the evening with Eva. The state agent for the Indiana Daily Sentinel of Indianapolis was in to see me today. I told him as I did the Journal man yesterday.
Saturday, November 8 -- $8.20. Paid 60c for a beef roast at 12 1/2c per lb. Paid Raymond Hanna $1 for delivering to me the Indianapolis News for one week. The republican plurality for secretary of state in Indiana was over 34,000. All of the Western states that went off with Bryan on the silver craze have returned republican majorities. President Roosevelt's comments on the result of the election were, "Well, the republicans have a rather chance to make it good." He doubtless refered to reciprocal treaties with Cuba and the revision of the present Tarif schedule. I was at home 15 minutes before 12 or midnight.
Sunday, November 9 - I was in attendance at our Quarterly meeting. The Elder (Bro. Schell) was not well and did not preach. After the sermon by our pastor OP Paxon the sacrament the Lord's Supper was administered by the pastor. Before going into the meeting house I visited poor Little Willie's grave. After our dinner was over I took Cris Alspaugh's father out for a buggy ride. We went to Browns' Valley and north and west, returning at about sun down via J. Z. Durham's, Mr. Alspaugh is 79 years old went with Eva to meeting. Weather is beautiful.
Monday, November 10 -- $2.15. Had repairs made on the Buggy and harness 65 cts. Telephone rent $1. Post Office box rent 15c. Express on the laundry returned 30c. The laundry was not returned until this morning. Did not get it off until in the evening of 6th. yesterday morning I took our cow over to Buddy Kelso's. Dora White was there on a like errand. His cow was the cause of upsetting the buggy to which my cow was tied. "Bob" never tried to get loose, but was alarmed at what had been done. Cost a ¼ to have the Fenders put in shape. Paid $2.25 for 25 gallon of oil at 9c per gal.
Tuesday, November 11 -- $4.20. Paid 30 for stove pipe - gave 25 for Thanksgiving supper by the women of the Methodist Church. Paid Henderson Olliver 80c for two bushel of corn, a 2 bushel bag full in the ear for a bushel of shelled corn. Anderson McMain's daughter Josephine is talking of coming here to go to school this winter and will make her home with us. She is to be here next Sunday. The cold wave consigned to this locality was not delivered. Instead we had a copious shower of rain. The creek west of town 1 ½ miles was too high to be forded at day light. The weather during the day was real nice. No fire needed.
Wednesday, November 12 -- ? ago my precious little lady passed from earth and 8 years and 8 months ago today little Willie died. $2.80. sent WP Gosnell $6. Expense 10c. He claims I owe him $14.94. I don't think I do. The good weather is still with us. Raymon Hanna has given up the job of carrying the News from Milligan, for this week. Wilson Lee is paper carrier, next week, George Fullenwider will be carrier. He says he will stay with it all winter if necessary. There is talk of trains being started on the "Midland" the 24-after the time card is out . I will see if the papers can be had over that route.
Thursday, November 13 - 80c. Sent The Cincinnati News co $3 yesterday. Eva went home with Bro. Moorman and wife from the meeting last night and stayed until I was ready to start home, we met at the gate in front of our home. The total note for secretary of state in this state was or is 590,346. I had registered a guess with the Cin. Com. Trib of 588, 252 missed it 2,094. Had I guessed the vote exact would I have received $11,500 or had mine been the close $5,000. I may get something out of it as there are 1400 divides to be made.
Friday, November 14 -- $1.70. Yesterday sent the Enquirer $1. It pays for 6 papers once a week until Dec 14 inclusive, sent the Globe Democrat 39c The Post Dispatch 60c Expense 4c - paid 20c for beef steak 10c for applies #1. There was some rain fell this afternoon, clear tonight and a full moon, some cooler, Al Foley of Paris, Illinois was in to see me tonight. He used to live here, he is 43 years old. Paid 15 for a 12 lb paper bag of corn meal and 35c for laundry soap. W.H. Smith of this place is going to spend the winter in Louisiana. Jon Hicks and wife, too. They start next week. Eva was a caller at Mrs. Wm. Jarvis' tonight.
Saturday, November 15 -- $11.57. Paid a dollar for 12 head of nice cabbage, bought them of John AnMiers. Paid 55c for fresh pork - it was done work by 11 o'clock. Have not had anything to eat since eating my dinner. Paid 80c for 2 bushel of corn bought of Robert Kelso. There has been a little rain fall today. I made a fire in the heating stove this a.m. and during the day added nothing to it, and tonight the room is warm like summertime. Paid the little boy (Wilson Lee) a dollar for carrying The News this week.
Sunday, November 16 - This has been a damp day - I could not get a buggy ride today. After the meeting I visited the grave of little Willie. Mary Lewis Kelso and Pauline Russell took dinner at our house for dinner and supper. Clay Lewis went home with me last night, after breakfast he came or went up to the meat market and invested in Park shops 50c. May Lewis Kelso will stay until morning at our house. I went with Eva to church tonight.
Monday, November 17 -- $3.40. Paid $3.40 for 30 gallon of gasoline at 12c per gallon. There was no rain today, but cloudy and cool, have had a fire in the heating stove all day. After dinner, I hitched Bob to Fullenwider's buggy and went over to kelso's for Nancy. She will stay at our house until Thursday evening. Coal oil has been advanced 1 ½ c on the gallon in the last two weeks. It is now worth 10c I used to buy it at 7 ½. No advance lately on gasoline. Eva is attending the meetings every night. They have had 5 additions, all young people. At home by 9 o'clock.
Tuesday, November 18 -- $3. George Fullenwider is engaged to go after the papers, he says he will go regular all winter. He has a buggy and tonight brought in 2 passengers, they gave him 55c a drummer gave 50c and a Baptist minister gave him 5c. President Roosevelt is in the south on a bear hunt. In the wilds of Mississippi, he has had no shot at a bear up to date. He refused to shoot one that had been captured and tied to a tree. The total vote for secretary of State (Ind) is 590356 My closest guess is 588, 252. No rain today.
Wednesday, November 19 -- $1.40. Paid 65c for beef and pork. 10c for a dozen bananas 10c for English Walnuts, 5c for sour drops. The weather has cleared up and the temperature rose above temperate. The weather is exceedingly fine for the time of year. Jim Alfrey says he remembers of seeing ice cut on a Thanks Giving day that was 6" thick. Mary Alfrey was at our house all night Tuesday night and last night. She is going to have a few of her relatives to come and dine with her on Thursday, Nov 27. Eva and I have an invitation to the feast.
Thursday, November 20 -- $1.25. This morning I sent the Logansport Laundry $5.37, wraped it up in an envelope and placed the package in the package of laundry work of my own. I send all laundry remittances this way. The President made speeches in Memphis, Tenn yesterday. His fun for the present is at an end. Paid 5c for a loaf of bakers bread. 5 persons united with the church tonight, 10 in all. Henderson Olliver brought me 40 bushel of coal from the coal bank, cost $2.40 at the bank and even $2 for hauling. I will use this in the stove I my shop. Warm today.
Friday, November 21 -- $1.85. We have green tomato vines in our garden 5' high. Frost thus far has not harmed the vines. Joe Hicks, WH Smith left Wednesday for the south. They left a basket of provisions in the station. Earnest Thornton has gone in with Lee Christ to work. He is provided a place to sleep and gets 70c on the dollar for the work he may get to do. Our school will take a holliday next week on the account of putting in a steam heating furnace in the school building. The Williams Bros. of Crawfordsville will do the work.
Saturday, November 22 -- $9.50. Paid 35c for fresh pork chops at 15c per pound. We had rain this forenoon and the prospect was good for a damp day, but it passed over before noon and for the remainder of the day we had very nice weather. We were done with our work by half past 11 but I did not get home until after midnight. I am writing this without the aid of spectacles and see that I don't exactly follow the ruled line. Eva got a letter from her niece Perla Petty of Kansas City, Mo. Pd. George Fullenwider.
Sunday, November 23. I called at the Methodist Church House at 11 o'clock for the purpose of attending class meeting. Found a few of the members of church in the annex arranging for a treat to the Sunday school scholars. I visited little Willie's grave 20 minutes of noon. After dinner Eva and I went out to Buddy Kelso's Buddy put 2 sacks of oats in the buggy and I left in his care and keeping 75c. We remained at home tonight. Rained some early this morning. The frost yesterday morning proved too much for the green tomato vines. Presbyterians had preaching tonight but I didn't know it.
Monday, November 24 -- $8.10. Paid 60 for five gallon of Eocene oil -60c for a 2 ½ lb bag of flour "Pride of Iowa." There was no new trains put on the "Midland," this morning but will be the first of December. I lost $6 today 4 one dollar bills and one 2 dollar bill from the best knowledge I can gather is that I left it on a paper of the window (South) and neglected to place it in the wallet after putting back the silver. I sent a dollar note to the Curtis Publishing Company of Philadelphia, Penn for a subscription to Saturday Evening Post for Dr. TZ Ball. Paid Budd Clore a quarter for a bushel of turnips.
Tuesday November 25 -- $1.45. Sent the Indianapolis News $12. The Journal 11 dollars, the Sentinel $10 expense 25c. I made a good search in my shop for the lost money, could not find it. I eat to much Sauer Kraut for dinner and was so sick that I eat no supper. Eva accompanied me as far as her sister Mary's she gave me a little wine which settled my stomache and caused me to feel greatly relieved. The "weather man" promises freezing weather tomorrow. Have had a fire in the heating stove since yesterday morning, 15 minutes of 9 I start for home.
Wednesday November 26 -- $3.30. I had an awful bad time last night with my bowels. Have not been well all day. ON the way home last night I vomited what I had taken in at the noon meal. Eat no supper tonight. Paid 75c for a pair of rubber shoes. It has been snowing all day and at 10 o'clock when I went home it was at it still. Anderson McMains is sick and will not be here tomorrow to eat with us a Thanksgiving dinner. Alen Robertson died yesterday in the hospital in Terre Haute and was burried here this afternoon. He left here in 1899 for Kansas was 69 years old.
Thursday November 27 - $1.50. We dined at Jim Alfrey's in Thanksgiving W Kelso, wife and daughter, Mrs. James McMains and daughter Emma of Russellville, Bob McMains, wife and daughter of Crawfordsville, John McMains and my wife and I were there for dinner. The snow continued falling all night and until the middle of the forenoon. Had the ground been frozen I believe it would have been a frost deep. Emma McCune will remain with us until tomorrow afternoon. Paid 30c for a couple pound of Malaga grapes. Snow is melting fast.
Friday, November 28 -- $1.75. Bob McMains wife and daughter Helen were at our house for dinner. Paid 70c for beef and pork, the pork chops were 25c in price. Snow has melted away in many places leaving the ground bare. The rivers in the east are filling up rapidly over 2 million bushel of hard coal left Pittsburg in flats and barges for points in the far south. The market price for the coal is $8 per ton and will be likely to go to $10 per ton next week. The coal I burn down home cost me $1.75 in the coal bin, 50c a ton at the bank, 11 miles away.
Saturday, November 29 - $6.25. Paid George Fullenwider a dollar - George went hunting today, fell in the creek and was late in going after the papers. They were not delivered to me until about 7 o'clock. The weather has been clear about all day but very little snow to be seen. We are done work by 15 minutes of 12 or midnight. Paid two weeks rent $2.40. The laundry did not get in until after dark. T here will be a train put on the "midland " Monday to run from Anderson to Brazill, pass here going south at 9:20 a.m. I don't think it will be of much benefit to our citizens. Train each way early and late is what we want.
Sunday November 30 - At half past 11 a.m. I called at the Methodist Church house found no one there, I visited Willie's grave no one had been within the enclosure for there was no signes of tracks made in the snow remaining in the path leading to the grave. I went to the Baptist Church house and heard a part of a good sermon by Rev. Henson. He is a good speaker. At night I went with Eva to her meeting and heard Rev. Ed Moorman. Miss Grace Penn was immerced. There has been signes of falling or wet weather all day.