The Diary of Louisa C. Warren Hall - Part 2

The Diary of Louisa C. Warren Hall – Part 2

This memoir is 110 years old and begins in the year 1899. The following thoughts and documented day-to-day life experiences were discovered in my great, great, great grandma’s journals. When I last left you it was 1866 and she had been married to a man named Nelson Hall on February 28, 1865.

She has since become a widow twice-over. Nelson, a soldier in the Civil War, died early on in 1883. She was married to her second husband Hubbard Harris on April 30, 1885. He passed away January 31, 1899. To that end, she expresses her sorrow and loneliness repeatedly over the loss of her husbands for years to come. “My heart aches still. I know God is good and loves us both, but I long for the dear old companionship of my husband. We were such good comrades, we enjoyed each other’s company.” (January 31, 1900) Later she writes, “I do keep a semblance of outside cheerfulness. God do help me to be brave!” (March 1, 1900)

“How strangely providence is leading me.” (Nov. 26, 1899)

She is a bit of a wanderer, visiting family members and friends as she tries to make a living by cleaning homes and being a nanny. She rents her home for $22.50 per month in 1899. She moved about the state of Illinois and traversed the country via railway into Iowa, Vermont and Michigan. She rents her house for only $15 a month in December of 1899 and writes, “The payment of my tax or assessment of $45 for street paving troubles me, I do not see how I am to get the money to pay it. Oh that a kind providence would direct me in this as it has in all my affairs.” Then later she writes, “My new cement sidewalk cost me $82 on my 100 feet lot, walk to house included.” (from June 14 to July 22 inclusive, 1902)

Funny thing is we just had a new cement driveway put in for the low, low price of $2,200.

Louisa was a church go-er and a believer in the Lord. Her strength and faith sought out His love and wisdom. She attended many different denominational churches, Baptist, Union Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist and even a German church. She was a part of the Ladies Aid Society and Home Circle, Kings Daughters meetings, Christian Endeavor prayer meetings, Chautauqua Assembly and her Neighbor’s Club and Old Town Folks’ Club in Wilmette, Ill.

She is 53-years-old now in the year 1900 on March 5.

Her first mother-in-law, nearly 86-years-old, passes away on Dec. 31, 1900. “She was Nelson’s mother, had some redeeming traits, and so let silence and the grave cover her faults.” Well said.

On May 28, 1900 Louisa suddenly went blind in her right eye, also dimness in the other. “I cannot read or sew, or mend, and write but a few words at once. Am almost in depair. How long, oh Lord how long! This is the bitterest cup of all.” She does put herself in the care of Dr. Buffum, oculist on June 4 and seems to recover to a degree.

During her visit to Kalamazoo, Mich. on March 7, 1901 she writes, “Kalamazoo is quite a fine city. I was here years ago with Nelson. Nelson’s uncle Horton Hall is insane and at the asylum here. Oh how hard life is for most of us!” I smile as I copy Louisa’s words because the truthfulness of the good and bad times in life is refreshing to my soul.

“Providence is surely watching over me.” (May 8, 1901)

During the summer of 1901 – “I am starting for Mackinac Island, Mich. to help a lady do housekeeping. It is an experiment. I hope all will be for the best. It was Dr. John Bailey, at whose house I am living now. I get $15 a month. I have the impression that all is for outside show and for making money. Some even work on Sunday. I hope I do not misjudge. Miss Elroy and I climbed up to Arch Rock from the beach, quite a hard rather risky climb, about 100 ft.” Sunday, Aug. 4 – “This afternoon Mrs. Stokes and I took a lake trip to the “Snows” or La Cheneaux islands. A quiet, orderly crowd were on board. I do not feel as though I’d broken the Sabbath, as we cannot easily get off on a weekday. ‘Twas enjoyable.”

Christmas of 1901 Louisa received a present unlike the usual handkerchief. “Emma (her sister-in-law, Nelson’s sister) and the children sent me a “fascinator” (a hair decoration – usually anchored with a comb, decorated with beads and/or feathers – and worn in place of a hat).” The “fascinator” would have surely made it as an AS SEEN ON TV product.

“Edith (Louisa’s daughter) writes that little Edith (I had the privilege of knowing little Edith, my great grandmother) swallowed a marble but is all right now.” (March 30, 1902)

“…paid tares for my house.” (March 5, 1903) I suppose Benjamin Franklin forgot something when he said, “…but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” He forgot to mention that in this world it is certain that kids continue to swallow marbles.

Word of the Week: Each week I add a word that I have come across in my reading for which I did not know the definition. After looking it up I try to use it in my future columns. Last week’s word was romp, meaning to play or frolic in a lively or boisterous manner.”