Mary, February 11, 1881

This morning [another?] [orp?] & a deep snow.  It has snowed hard all day.  Little [fire?] [flames?] & the wind has been high. [Aburst?] despaired at gathering over to dinner but did.  Jr [leaped] in Mrs. L. - again. Sewed all day - kept up fires.

{ed. - some difficult letters on this one...}

Mary, February 10, 1881

Sent to [haunamakers] for [lamplis].

A beautiful day. We went to go & see Ms. Gibson but Mrs. Brace called & then as was too late & besides got cold.  This morning was over [So]-Mrs. [Wurgaus] & engaged Mrs. Mults to come & sew for us some time soon. Played [in] at Mrs. Lakers  at [Legmiea] - "War of words"

Mary, February 9, 1881

Sewed all day. This afternoon Aunt Julia came over, [soon] after Mrs [Wozgac] & then Miss Keltic McNary.  After they were gone it was time to get ready for the wedding.  We went [??] [??] - They marched up the aisle. She in white silk & c. he in uniforms.  Very imposing - Happy may they be! 

Mary, February 8, 1881

Aunt Julia's birth-day. Still muddy. Spent most of the afternoon with Aunt Julia & then she same over.  Mama & I went to Mrs. [Mesgame].  Then stopped at Mrs. McKees.  I am sick with headache so guess I'll not sit up late.

Mary, February 7, 1881

Sloppy & muddy.  We went down to bakery & over to Mrs. Roses - Got invitation to Ms. Miller wedding. Mama had a letter from Papa & I one from Ms. L. & papers from Papa & Johnnie.

Mary, February 6, 1881

No church today & too wet & raining to go else where.  Very small S.L.  Mrs. Marchal gave [some] where [i'r] preach - the rain still continues. snow, sleep hail - rain all in me day. Wrote to Ms. L today.

Mary, February 5, 1881

Rain & sleet all day.  The ground hog could see himself this this 1st & we have begun another 6 weeks cold.  Everything [in] @ glamz ice.  Letters from John. [&] Mrs. Laker [Tis] a quandy pulling [thrigh] Black silk & relret shirt all dnoe - Almost 11 o'clock. Studied SS lessons with Ma.

Mary, February 4, 1881

Have been sick all day.  [Annie Lasinssiv] & Liz - Ms Farland came up last night.  We put on some [cassoly] & pulled it then sat talking - in came Mr. L - He said Mrs. [Laker?] was signing so he came & [thus] it was al-most 11 o'clock. I wrote to Henry & Papa. Two letters from Papa.

Mary, February 3, 1881

Sat quiet at home & sewed all day. Had two letters from Henry he is well.  I do hope he will not take the smallpox.  I read of its being at Yankton so bad.  Every body still [bothers] me with [wanting] [to] [have] [my] plans I have [to] [do] & say [everything] [when] I dont want [it?].

{ed. I don't claim to understand that last sentence}

Mary, February 2, 1881

We went to Mrs. McCahon's for dinner.  Ella, Georgia, & Johnnie. Mrs man. shall drive Ella & me home as her prayer meeting is there so we had a little time for talk before the rest came.  Mr M. lent me a new novel - Church at Laneingburgh [but]-not-much [.] He said there was a noval for me.

Mary, February 1, 1881

Mrs Rose came & came again after dinner.  Dress getting on.  Mrs. Ramsey was in this [crenning] first of next month. Ramsey Small & [Vorbue] will open a new store fast & Papa will probably be here 1st of March.

Mary, January 31, 1881

Dark cold & disagreeable.  Mama & I sewed all day on black silk.  Tonight went to a reading by Miss [Brace] at the Cong. church - Music by Mrs. [Jones] - Alice & Joe [Farrell] & Miss [Walkmire] & Ella Fess. The [house] crowded with the best people - went down with the Hays & Julia. Nell & Ms. Shannon fell not hurt at all.

Mary, January 30, 1881

Was at church & Sabbath school this morning & meant to go & hear Dean [lecture] tonight it's cold & snow like rain so Mama and I are staying home.  I wrote to Johnnie, Henry, Will [Burlwick], Ellie B, [Missive] Helper.

Mary, January 29, 1881

This morning had a "cleaning up". Aunt Julia sick this morning so I went over to fix them dinner.  She has made the boys [walk] this [muck] & no wonder she feels under the weather. Be all right tonight. 

Mary, January 28, 1881

[Stae] at Mss. [Roses] this evening.  She wanted to know when she should come & help unwrap new silk.  We said Monday. 

Mary, January 27, 1881

Mama went to the Episcopal dedication yesterday & says Dean Heart preached a good sermon. Ella & I went down town today & got me cashmere [whool] colored for a dress.  We talked of Mss. Whiats - [Lass] Ms. Angil. She must [hurre] to night. Wrote to Henry & Papa.

Mary, January 26, 1881

Staid all night with Ella & I came home with [them] in time for prayer meeting.  All day [spoke/spins] with Mrss. Kop-[leisson].  She has such in-lay stones & [sheet wurk].  Also went to the coal shaft. The first one I ever saw.  Ella will stay in at Annet Bills tonight.

Mary Loughborough, Jan 25, 1881

As dinner [table?] Howell & I were talking. He was going by the K.S.P & I went along.  Will stay all night.  This morning [Marna/Mama?]  and I went down town & bought some more edging & insulation. Letters came from Ms. L - to day & one from [Wilnaa] [Jaerbre].

Mary Loughborough, January 1, 1881

Spent with Aunt Julia. The anniversary of her wedding day.  The 10th year. Came in yesterday [from?] the prison.  Mama & I went out day before Christmas.

Mr. [Nitts] called but as we had not intended to riecive any [were] really away. 

{ed. The prison is likely Ft. Leavenworth. }

Introduction

These are the diaries of Col. Henry Rose & Mary Loughborough.  A bit of history is contained within these books - and part of the reason I am blogging this is to bring the "normalcy" of 19th century life alive.  Additionally, it gives me a reason to re-read these and make them available to future historians.

The first diary is an Excelsior Diary, 1881 entitled "A Happy New year, January 1, 81.  For Mary from Henry - Fort Randall, D.T." [Dakota Territory].  You can read about Fort Randall here.

Sitting Bull was held at Ft. Randall during this time, along with 158 of his men.

I am a descendant of the Loughborough family, and these passed to me through my grandmother. 

A guide to some of the people:

1. Mary is Mary Baldridge, engaged to marry Henry Rose Loughborough on June 21, 1881.
2. Mama is Mary's mother, Sarah M. Gilmore. A frontier mother and wife of Papa.  She has 4 brothers and sisters.
3. Papa is an Army chaplain. Rev. Benjamin S. Baldridge is often traveling and moving the family westward with the frontier.
4. Henry is Henry Rose Loughborough, an Army colonel.  He traveled extensively from N. Dakota, to the Mexican border, across to the Philippines and China.  He was one of 13 children, and grew up in Washington D.C. at the Grassland estate.  His father is best know for his Civial War diaries, and his grandfather Nathan is known for his disputes with Thomas Jefferson and other oddities.
5. Aunt Julia is Mama's sister, Julia Gilmore.  She is married to a merchant named Matthew Howell.

I'm assuming that Mary's writing begins at Ft. Leavenworth, with Henry being located at Fort Randall.

 I hope you enjoy reading these!

From VMI archives:

The picture was taken in Manilla, Philippines ~ 1900.

Robert Henry Rose Loughborough Class of 1875: Geneaology: Born- Dec. 8, 1853 in Faquier Co. Va. Father- Nathan Loughborough; Mother- Anna Rose Pat. Grandfather- Nathan Loughborough; Pat. Grandmother- Margaret Webster Mat. Grandfather- Robert H. Rose; Mat. Grandmother- Anna R. Fitzhugh Married- Mary Baldridge on June 21, 1881 Children- 1- Marie Stuart Loughborough; 2- William Baldridge Loughborough; 3- Robert H. R. Loughborough, Jr. VMI Record- Entered VMI- Sept. 11, 1871; Left after 2 years Careers- U.S. Army Officer Died- Dec. 15, 1918