Pratt - Oct 1870 - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

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Pratt - Oct 1870

Diary of Hiram A. Pratt, Waveland Barber
(Standard Diary #31) October 1870

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. 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 !

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 Oct 1 --$6.50 I made today. Spent 1.25 for beef; 35 for bay rum .50  for butter. My trip to Terre Haute cost 2.20. One week from today Morton will speak in Crawfordsville. It is my intention to go hear him. Eliza is not so well today as she has been. Heard J.M. Butler tonight. Good speech.

Sunday Oct 2 -- We attended Methodist meeting at 10 a.m. and at 3 p.m. our  new pastor was on hand and gave us a good sermon from Heb 23 at 10 1/2 1st rate 1-4 at 3. His voice is rather frail, he is not a stout man but is a good worker in the vinyard of our Lord. At night we went to camolite (sp -- Hiram has many spellings for this word that I'm assuming is Campbellite?)
church. Heard a good sermon.

Monday Oct 3 -- It has been cloudy all day and has an appearance of setting in bad weather. I wrote a letter to father Shaw. Have fixed the Hen House so as to shut the chickens up. Helped to kill a hog for Mr. Shellada, he gave me a few pounds for my help. Gave his wife 25 for a wooden bucket of  tomatoes. Gave 10 for sexton fee yesterday. We are all well. 3 of us now.

Tuesday Oct 4-- $1.15 is all I made today. Paid corporation tax 1.30. Bought a new dress for Allice it cost 3.60 she sayes it is the nicest dress she ever had and is well pleased with her present. The weather has the appearance of Indian sumber (sic). We have had no rain of note for a long time. 6# sugar for 1.00

Wednesday Oct 5 -- $1.60 I made in the shop. Gave 75 cents for one gallon of  sorghum molasses and 10 cts for 1/2 yd combrie for Alice' dress. The weather has turned some colder. The crops are all out of danger from the frost. 1 pt. hair oil 75. Democrats have speaking there in town tomorrow night.

Thursday Oct 6 -- 40 cents is all I made today. Bought 10 1/2 # lard 20 cts per lb 2.10. I have been unable to get a horse that I might go with Columbus Moore to Crawfordsville next Saturday to hear Moorton (sic but Hiram has made a note -- one too many o's). Morton is Minister to England and will sail for Europe in November. I do not know now how I shall get to hear Morton. Wrote Ause Pratt a letter. Got one from Father Shaw one dozzen eggs
.10.

Friday Oct 7 -- I done no work in the shop today. Cut some stove wood and sewed on Alice's dress, have got it done. Eliza basted the most of it and bossed the work. I like to sew on Wheeler & Wilson's sewing machine. The Rusians are before Paris over 4 hundred thousand strong.

Saturday Oct 8 -- Made 3 dollars in shop tonight. At 7 this morning went with Ed Milligan to Crawfordsville to hear Morton but as he was sick at Michigan City he could not be there. Nelson Trusler of Indianapolis filled the apointment Pd 4.50 for having a boiler made for my stove at the shop. .55 for fare to Crawfordsville. .55 for fresh beef .25 for box collars .20 for
eatables.

Sunday Oct 9 -- We went to the Presbyterian Church for 10 1/2 o'clock services. Thompson their pastor preached the sermon. The remainder of the day was spent at home, Alice wore her new dress for the first time, this she could not have done without the aid of a sewing machine. At night we were at Mr. Wymores a few minutes, he lives a cross the street one lot west of us. We enjoy the pleasure of good health tonight.

Monday Oct 10 -- I bought 9 yds of bed ticking to day at 40 cents per yd have not paid for it yet, but will in a few weeks. Ben McIntosh and his wife and 2 children were here for dinner. I done some sewing on the machine for his wife. Have done nothing that will bring in any money. 2# butter .25-50. (I assume this is 25 cents per pound and since he got to it cost 50 cents?)

Tuesday Oct 11 -- $6.00 I received today. Had some rain today. Paid Sam J. Milligan $53.92 for note given Dec 21, 1869. Bought spice, cloves, cinnamon bark 5 cts each .15 Pd express for Alice on her shawl .75. 6# sugar for one dollar. Voted the Republican ticket straight. Wm. Peterman our candidate run 16 behind here. State ticket Rep 157. Dem 68. Votes all counted out by 12 tonight.

Wednesday Oct 12 -- 30 cts is all I made today. It is believed the democrats have carried the elections in the state, they have in this county most assuredldy. Manson, Dem for Congress in all probability is elected. Democrats are very jubilant over their achievements for which they have a perfect right. Wrote a letter to Bro Bill this evening. Rec'd a letter returned from San Francisco Cal.

Thursday Oct 13 -- .35 is all I made today. Bought 2# of butter for .25 cts. Paid Tom Lough on wood 10 dollars. I paid this the week after he finished halling. He delivered 6 cords owe him 8 dollars more. The State Sentinel a democrat paper sayes, this state has gone democratic. Ohio and Iowa have had large Rep gains, Penn gone Republican.

Friday Oct 14 -- 40 cts is all I made today. Jesse Martin the agent for Wheeler & Wilson sewing machine came before noon we put the one he had left with me, in the wagon and took it over to George McIntosh's and sold it to him for $85 due in 6 months. Eliza and Alice keep well and enjoy themselves very finely.

Saturday Oct 15 -- $4.85 is all I made today. Fresh beef .75 Butter .50. There was no work of any note come in before noon. There came very near being a big riot in Crawfordsville today between DW Voorheese (sic) and Dr. A. T. Steele. Voorhees and Steele were in court at the courthouse when they got to disputing about some point in reference to the case. When V. took his seat, he remarked to a lawyer close by, "That is a most infamous lie." Steele raised with a chair to hit him, but was caught.

Sunday Oct 16 -- This morning Zachie Robinson and his wife came along in a carriage and took us along with them over to Russelville Church. We arrived in time to hear the sermon. Elder Hargrave was on hand and preached a splendid sermon. We took dinner at Uncle Marshal's and arrived home at sundown.

Monday Oct 17 - I done no work in the shop today. Done a little chorse (sic) about the house and went to Aung Lucy Davis for 2 citcons (?) to make preservs of bought postage stamps 15. and one lead pencil 10.

Tuesday Oct 18 -- $1.40 made in shop today. We got no papers today that have any election news in. Eliza and Alice went visiting today at Mrs. McLanes. We now have a new drug store in operation, this makes two in our town. The trial at Crawfordsville continues without interruption. Some think Bill Glenn will come out clear this time.

Wednesday Oct 19 -- 80 cents is all I received today. I done a good deal more work than would amount to the above sum. Have heard no definite returns of the elections. We give up Indiana to the Democrats this year. Will try hard to regain it next. Eliza & Alice done their washing this morning. Rained some day.

Thursday Oct 20 -- Rec'd a letter from Bro. Bill. 65 cts I made today. The Cin Gazette sayes congress men elected in Ohio stand just as they did last year. In this state we have lost one and in Penn lost 4 and gained 2 Iowa sends all republicans. Neb sends her quoto of Reps. This state will require the official count before it can be determined which party has won.

Friday Oct 21 -- I spent the day at home in the garden digging potatoes the most of them were small occasionaly I found some that were real nice. A little over 2 bbl covers my entire crop. Hair oil one pint 75. Beef 15 cts. 1/2 bushel sweet potatoes 75, one dozen eggs 10. Gram McIntosh, Sarah McIntosh and Mrs. Vinson were here visiting. Warm Day.

Saturday, Oct 22 -- $15.35 I rec'd today. The agent for Wheeler & Wilson's sewing machine paid me 10 dollars for selling the one I did to George McIntosh. The weather is most delightfull. We have some notion of going to Grandmother Pratt's tomorrow if not there we will go see Freek (?) McAlisters three little babies. They will be two weeks old next Monday.

Sunday Oct 23 -- Eliza is 29 years old today. I got the loan of Dr. Wm. Steele's mare and buggy and we went to see the triplets at McAlstus found the babies all well, they were the smallest specimens of humanity that I ever seen. Eliza and alice had to have them on their laps just to see how such an armfull of babies would look. We spent the afternoon at George
McIntosh.

Monday Oct 24 -- I got up a little after 4 this a.m. and seen the grandest display of Aurers Borealice (sic) or Northern light (sic) that I ever seen.  Pd 45 cts for beef. 1.50 for sack of flour 3.60 for Elizas dress pattern, that I bought some time last month. 1.50 for 5 yds cotton flannel and 3 spools of thread. This after noon I sewed some for Evaline McMains. She was
making a pair of pants for her bro. Robert then sewed some for myself, nearly finished 2 prs of drawers. (blush) (Note: When HAP's Eliza died, not long afterward he married Evaline McMains mentioned here - not sure he loved her but they were friends and enjoyed each other's company, at least)

Tuesday Oct 25 -- I done a little work this evening will make no note of it today but will add it on tomorrows work. Bought 2# butter .25 per lb = 50. 7# fresh beef for 65. Done some sewing on the machine for Mrs. McGill. The weather indicates rain. Alice rec'd a letter from her friend Lottie Blodgett.

Wednesday Oct 26 - $1.00 I made in shop today. Bought one pair of shoes for Alice cost $2.50 then I bought 4# of coffee for one dollar. I then bought my little woman a striped shall (sic) cost 6.50 maybe I will not keep it, as she is not as well pleased with it as she thought she would be. Cloudy all day. Air is warm.

Thursday Oct 27 -- This forenoon I helped do some sewing on the machine for Eva McMain. My little woman has concluded to remoddle (sic) her green dress. This afternoon I shoveled gravel for the corporation in payment of my dues for road work. I now owe 1/2 day more. Democrats carried this state by a little over 2,500 they gain one congressman in Penn they gain 3.

Friday Oct 28 -- This forenoon I went to shovel gravel, only helped to load up on load, the rain prevented us from doing any more. This evening Thornton Jarvis came in the shop, he just got home last night from Kansas. He left uncle Daves last Monday morning they were all well. Aunt and Rich are not satisfied.

Saturday Oct 29 - $5.85 is all I received today. 2# butter 50. Beef 1.00. Rec'd a letter from Bro Ben he sent his photograoh, was glad to get it. Father and brother Jim voted the copperhead ticket on the 11 of this month. Rep maj in Iowa will be about 4,000. (translated Republicans had a major win of 4,000 in Iowa). I have a box of cigars from ZM Ball to sell on commission. I will get 2 for selling will pay him 3 for the box. Elizas fall hat 2.50

Sunday Oct 30 -- Rained some yesterday evening and has been raining all day. Maria Rush a cousin of mine came in yesterday evening and went away this afternoon. We did intend to go to church twice today and once at night (once is all we could go, if at all), but the rainy weather is not preferable for outdoor walks. Rebel Gen RE Lee died on the 14 inst.

Monday Oct 31 -- I done some work about home made a plank walk from the summer kitchen to the dwelling a distance of 30' then fixed the platform around the well, water was frozen in the little tub that set by the well it was not solid on the surface. This month has closed and no cold weather yet.
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