November 17
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
November 17, 1997
Up at 7:00!! A little late to school. Cold, boring day. Me and Ashley stayed after for extra credit in World Civ. Mom came at 4:30. Went 2 store and got Kathy a rose and cake mix. (Birthday.) Made a cake, did homework. Ate. Watched T.V. and homework.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
November 17, 1938
Rainy and cloudy but warmer. Practiced. No chapel. Usual classes. Home for dinner. Usual classes. Very busy. No time to read. At 2:20 took my lesson from Mrs. Moore. School got out at 3:00 due to P.T.A. Rainy and foggy. Mother was at P.T.A. Mary came home with me and we were going to work on our posters. Wasted a lot of time looking for a ruler. Finally got down to business. Mary couldn’t think of an idea. I found one and worked on mine. Mother got home about 15 till 5:00. Couldn’t find car keys so couldn’t drive Mary home. Dark. I walked to Pres. Church with her. Very foggy. Daddy came soon after I got home. Nearly had to go to American Legion supper with Daddy and Mother but I had too much studying to do. Studied till time to dress and then M. and D. left and I went over to Mrs. McClure’s for supper. Helped George with his lessons. After supper G. came home with me. I gave him some magazines to look at to keep him quiet but he acted silly and got me laughing so hard I nearly passed out. I studied till 9:00, then we went over to his house. He went to bed and I studied till M. and D. came which was about 15 mins. later. Home and to bed. First rest I’ve had today.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
November 17, 1887
We got up early this morning and had breakfast before daylight, so I could get an early start drawing sawdust to back up the house with. I got Mr. Holbrooks’ wagon to drive Jimmie on. I drew 3 loads and put the last one in the barn. The cold wind can not blow under the house now. It seems to be growing colder today, but has been quite pleasant. Have been too tired to study tonight, as I ought to have done.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
November 17, 1862
I woke early this morning & had breakfast by candle light. Made a pair of pants for some poor soldier. Got them done by three o’clock & then fixed some yarn for Mr. Henry’s comfort. Twisted part myself to knit tonight as Tena is at the cow pen. Very pleasant today. I have not needed much fire. I was sadly disappointed this evening in not getting a letter by mail from Mr. Henry but heard from him this morning by Mull (the man that attends the hogs). He came here this morning. Left Mr. Henry yesterday morning, says he was well & started to Spartanburg to meet the waggon Sunday morning. Sam went to Asheville this morning to get a one horse waggon Mr. Henry bought of W. Smith, did not get it as it was broken badly. Mr. Henry sent Mull after the waggon to haul corn as he can only get it in small quantities. Mull leaves soon in the morning.
*(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 34, London
November 17, 1667
(Lord’s day). Up, and to church with my wife. A dull sermon of Mr. Mills, and then home, without strangers to dinner, and then my wife to read, and I to the office, enter my journall to this day, and so home with great content that it is done, but with sorrow to my eyes. Then home, and got my wife to read to me out of Fuller’s Church History, when by and by comes Captain Cocke, who sat with me all the evening, talking, and I find by him, as by all others, that we are like to expect great confusions, and most of our discourse was the same, and did agree with that the last night, particularly that about the difference between the King and the Duke of York which is like to be. He tells me that he hears that Sir W. Coventry was, a little before the Duke of York fell sick, with the Duke of York in his closet, and fell on his knees, and begged his pardon for what he hath done to my Lord Chancellor; but this I dare not soon believe. But he tells me another thing, which he says he had from the person himself who spoke with the Duke of Buckingham, who, he says, is a very sober and worthy man, that he did lately speak with the Duke of Buckingham about his greatness now with the King, and told him- “But, sir, these things that the King do now, in suffering the Parliament to do all this, you know are not fit for the King to suffer, and you know how often you have said to me that the King was a weak man, and unable to govern, but to be governed, and that you could command him as you listed; why do you suffer him to go on in these things?” — “Why,” says the Duke of Buckingham, “I do suffer him to do this, that I may hereafter the better command him.” This he swears to me the person himself to whom the Duke of Buckingham said this did tell it him, and is a man of worth, understanding, and credit. He told me one odd passage by the Duke of Albemarle, speaking how hasty a man he is, and how for certain he would have killed Sir W. Coventry, had he met him in a little time after his shewing his letter in the House. He told me that a certain lady, whom he knows, did tell him that, she being certainly informed that some of the Duke of Albemarle’s family did say that the Earl of Torrington was a bastard, [she] did think herself concerned to tell the Duke of Albemarle of it, and did first tell the Duchesse, and was going to tell the old man, when the Duchesse pulled her back by the sleeve, and hindered her, swearing to her that if he should hear it, he would certainly kill the servant that should be found to have said it, and therefore prayed her to hold her peace. One thing more he told me, which is, that Garraway is come to town, and is thinking how to bring the House to mind the public state of the nation and to put off these particular piques against man and man, and that he propounding this to Sir W. Coventry, Sir W. Coventry did give no encouragement to it: which he says is that by their running after other men he may escape. But I do believe this is not true neither. But however I am glad that Garraway is here, and that he do begin to think of the public condition in reference to our neighbours that we are in, and in reference to ourselves, whereof I am mightily afeard of trouble. So to supper, and he gone and we to bed.
*(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.)