January 11
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
January 11, 1997
Dad picked me up from Courtney’s at 1:30. Came to his house and was bored. Talked to Karen. Played guitar. At 9:00, Sean called and we talked so good! He said his old, “Okay, I love you, bye-bye now.” Aahh!
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
January 11, 1960
Washed but no drying day. Hung a few at a time in basement. Over to Mrs. B’s had coffee but no food not feeling too good.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
January 11, 1941
Bright, cold. This has been one of those rather empty, questioning days when life seems so dark and hopeless. I worked and studied hard but still have to study history tomorrow. Three terrible chapters for test Monday. Oh, I need a talk with Mary so badly! I wish she understood! Mother is much better.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
January 11, 1887
I am writing this in our house (Kate & mine), but I am going over to sleep with Fred Neill. I have been here the most of the day -- got my dinner here -- but some how I kept thinking of Kate and our dead little Johnnie that was born here, and I got so lonesome that the tears would flow, and my head seemed breaking. I was not made to be alone much, have been used to having my darling Kate with me too long to be contented without her. I told Mrs. Neill how I felt and she told me to come there and I believe I will for some time any way. It has been warmer today and snowed hard tonight. The wind has blown hard all day and drifted the snow badly.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
January 11, 1862
Willie is 10 months old today. I finished the coat this evening about 3 o’clock. I went to the stables this morning with Mr. Henry. He has gone to Asheville court this week. In Asheville he has only been two days including today, not much business done this court as nearly everybody in the war. He came back at night. I scoured the candle sticks at the branch. Helped Jinnie wash out some hanks of yarn. The lye has eat up two. I also helped Fannie wash some guts for sassauge. Mrs. Fanning cut out 16 1/2 yds. of coarse jeans this evening. Jim Knight got 7 yds. of it. I must make Uncle Sam a coat this incoming week, also Charlie. Got the lard all done by working after night a little. I went into the new sugar this evening. It is very white, nice coffee sugar but no coffee to put it in. Mr. Henry got 3 sacks of salt & a barrel of sugar was all he got. Uncle Sam well this morning. Jim Parker salted the meat down again, took all the salt I borrowed from Mrs. Knight for the sassauge.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)