Creator

Delia Locke

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July 8. Sabbath. The people attended church today, expecting preaching, but no preacher came. As for me, I could not well leave my little boy. (T.S.R. 58. 2 P.M. 95. S.S. 76.) July 9. Monday. Mr. R. Campbell dined with us. This afternoon, Mrs. Sabin called for a short time. (T.S.R. 56. 2 P.M. 89. S.S. 73.) July 10. Tuesday. We have had cloudy weather all day, and this evening it is raining hard, Dr. has been to Stockton today, and has arrived home just in season not to get much wet. This is indeed singular weather for July. It rains as though it were the commencement of a long storm. (T.S.R. 60. 2 P.M. 90. S.S. 69.) July 11. Wednesday. The weather has been cloudy and rainy all day. And what is more remarkable still, we have had the most severe hail - storm that I ever saw in my life. The wind did not blow hard, so that the hail did but little damage, but the stones were larger than I ever before saw. And this at about the middle of the summer season. If such storms as this should often occur at this season, farness will be obliged to secure their crops so that they may not be injured. (T.S.R. 60. 2 P.M. 71. S.S. 66.) July 12. Thursday. Mr. Stevens took dinner with us. This afternoon, in company with the Dr. I have called on Mr. & Mrs. Gove, and had a pleasant time. She seems as friendly now as ever before, though not quite so light hearted - No allusion was made by any one to past family troubles. Her little girl is now a year old, this is her birthday, and this is the first time I have seen her. Neither has she seen my babe. She has one of "Grover & Baker's" sewing machines. I should not like it as well as mine. (T.S.R. 58. 2 P.M. 80. S.S. 70.) July 13. Friday. I have today written to Mrs. Shepard. The subjects of my letter were - Length of time separated - Children - Direction of future letters - Mrs. Holman - Mrs. Hitchcock - Susie. (T.S.R. 55. 2 P.M. 83. S.S. 73.) July 14. Saturday. Mr. & Mrs. Doom have made us a call this afternoon. Howard has not been as well this week as he was last. I hope his teeth will soon be through, so that he can recover. I like my sewing machine very much indeed. (T.S.R. 54. 2 P.M. 83. S.S. 72.) July 15. Sabbath. Could not leave Howard for the purpose of attending church today. D. Smith took breakfast with us. Mr. Coffey made us a call this afternoon, Mr. & Mrs. Sabin this evening. (T.S.R. 54. 2 P.M. 87. S.S. 76.) July 16. Monday. Luther is now four years and three months old. He is active and observing, and makes some quite curious remarks. One evening, when Robert was lighting a lamp he said to him, "Robert, put some oil on your head, and put a fire on it, then you can see all the time." He talks much about going up to the stars. He wishes to go up there to see how they look, he says. I asked him how he could get up there. He says a man might cut down a tall tree and get a long pole, then get another and tie to the end of that, then put one end against a star and climb right up." Ada is now two years and seven months old. She too is very talkative, hardly ever keeping her tongue quiet, except when asleep. Her memory is quite remarkable. I have heard her repeat nearly the whole of the hymn commencing, "Mary had a little lamb," etc. I never tried to teach it to her, but have often sung it to the children. Sometimes when she is out at play and the door is closed, she will come and knock, saying, "Open the door, Mrs. Locke." And she will come in and say, "How do you do, Mrs. Locke." One day she asked me, "Do you call I, Ada?" She is much more unyielding in her disposition than Luther. (T.S.R. 59. 2 P.M. 89. S.S. 77.) July 17. Tuesday. This afternoon, as I was busily engaged in washing Mrs. Heath, Mrs. Boody, Mrs. Wagner and Mrs. Brake man called. I enjoyed their call very well. I do the washing alone, and Mrs. Sabin irons for me. (T.S.R. 61. 2 P.M. 90. S.S. 76.) July 18. Wednesday. Pleasant weather. (T.S.R. 56. 2 P.M. 85. S.S. 69.) July 19. Thursday. Our little Howard has completed his first year. The time has seemed very short since his birth. The poor little pale boy does not look much as Luther did at his age. He now weighs but nineteen pounds, the same as Ada did, has ten teeth, two less than she had, but six more than Luther had. Two months ago he could creep and stand alone.

Date Original

July 1860

Dates Covered

1858-1861

Source

Original diary dimensions: 22 x 33 cm.

Resource Identifier

Locke_Diary_1858-1861_Image128.tif

Publisher

Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

Rights Management

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Keywords

Delia Locke, diaries, women, diarist, California, Locke-Hammond Family Papers, Lockeford, CA, Dean Jewett Locke, rural life, rural California, 19th Century, church, temperance organizations, Mokelumne River Ladies' Sewing Circle, temperature recordings, journal

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