February 15
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
February 15, 1998
Up at 9:00. Ate. Had session (church communion). Ate. Session. Went 2 Sugar Mnt. for night skiing from 6-10. Skied w/ Kristy, Kate, & Mike. Really fun. Wanted 2 sleep, but couldn’t. So I cried.
Laura M., age 14, Colorado
February 15, 1997
Up at 6:00. Go to slopes (Keystone) by 12:00. Ski till 5:00. Pretty awesome. Came back to condo and ate dinner with Rogerses, and the Johnsons. Watched “Mission Impossible” and showered.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
February 15, 1997
Washed, not such a big one but three very dirty rugs. Hung porch full and basement. Dried fairly well. Out to cabin then Lo shopped both stores. Had been up to see Ole during noon hour.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
February 15, 1944
Nothing much happened. I dislike Tuesdays immensely! Betty studied in library at night and I studied and had thinking session. Sort of out of practice. Facial at 3:45. Good one. At night I got a laughing spell and couldn’t stop – Betty got scared. Had queer pain in my back. Mary, Kath., Betty and I went to Tuck before census. Betty and I made H in Philosophy this semester.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
February 15, 1888
18 degrees below 0 this morning, cold enough. Una felt rather bad this morning and we got around rather slowly. I had very bad luck with the pancakes, believe I can do better at other kind of work, am not a natural cook. Took a specimen of the writing which I could do before studying the art, up to my class room and pinned up beside a signature I executed today. There was some difference. Rode part way home with Mr. Bilderback tonight. Thermometer at 0 tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
February 15, 1887
It has been a moderate day. I wrote my copies before breakfast. Went up to the Court House this morning and left the letter I wrote to Kate to be sent off with the Clerks mail. When I got back I practiced a song some and then went to mending up my clothes. Mrs. Holbrook was here this forenoon visiting Mrs. Neill. It seems good to have Fred home again. I don’t have any care of his colts now since he got back. Taught this afternoon as usual. Went over to Mrs. Waters and practiced on a song with her. Took Dr. Taylor’s Shakespear [sic] home. Charlie and Grace were here a little while tonight. It is trying to snow tonight. I started writing a letter to Kate.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Columbus T., age 31, North Carolina
February 15, 1874
Went with Mr Dickey to Sunday school at Baptist Church. Joined Strangers class and heard them on Genesis 35th Chap. My object was to visit Infant Department presided over by Mr. & Mrs. Dodd. We were invited in after they were duly organized. The little ones sing in very good time. It seems they have organized a class of young men, who are not users of tobacco, and who will quit it in all its forms. Superintendent J.M. Heck condemned the use of it, saying that all drunkards or nearly so have preceded this condition by the use of tobacco. Another evil quite as great he thought was the chewing gum. Dr Prichard preached concerning importance of showing fruit of late revival. Baptism announced for 4 P.M. Called with Horton on Miss Boylan & Miss Thompson. Dr Jordan & Med [?] Leach called. [In left margin] Pleasant weather.
*(Worthy of Record: The Civil War and Reconstruction Diaries of Columbus Lafayette Turner, Ed. Kenrick N. Simpson, courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina.)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
February 15, 1863
I washed the children last night & put their clean clothes on & then darned some stockings of Willie’s and a pair of Zona’s. They wear their stockings very fast. Cloudy this morning & warm. Seems as if Spring was with us. I will stop now as I want some apples, walnuts & peach leather. The apples will soon be gone. Mr. Henry is sitting here teaching Willie to talk & mawking me. The negroes started a rabbit while I was eating apples. It ran through the yard & under a drain in the road down by the old cow pen. Mr. Henry, I & all the children had to go & see the negroes dig it out. Mr. Henry & I read after dinner. I read a good deal in my bible. I will soon go to bed as Willie is sleepy & I am tired of doing nothing.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
February 15, 1862
This has been a changeable day. It first sleeted & then snowed, then nearly all the snow melted & it took a fresh start to snow & snowed on after night. I mended some & moulded some candles. Aunt Tena finished spooling the cloth for some jeans to sell. Atheline ironed the children’s clothes. Fannie made some ginger cakes for the children today. We finished the hog heads today. They began to smell a little. I have not heard from Mr. Henry since he started. I hope he is getting along well. I look for him next week & hope I may not look in vain. Things are going on very well at present.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 35, London
February 15, 1668
Up betimes, and with Captain Cocke my coach to the Temple to his Counsel again about the prize goods in order to the drawing up of his answer to them, where little done but a confirmation that our best interest is for him to tell the whole truth, and so parted, and I home to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home to dinner, and after dinner all the afternoon and evening till midnight almost, and till I had tired my own backe, and my wife’s, and Deb.’s, in titleing of my books for the present year, and in setting them in order, which is now done to my very good satisfaction, though not altogether so completely as I think they were the last year, when my mind was more at leisure to mind it. So about midnight to bed, where my wife taking some physic overnight it wrought with her, and those coming upon her with great gripes, she was in mighty pain all night long, yet, God forgive me! I did find that I was most desirous to take my rest than to ease her, but there was nothing I could do to do her any good with.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)