Diary of a Farmer’s Wife in 1908

By Jeanette Gribble

This is a diary of a farmer’s wife written in 1908 by my great-great grandmother whom lived in central Pennsylvania. Minerva’s daily chores and details were written as the way the Pennsylvania Dutch folks spoke. It is a unique way of talking that is still used today here in Pennsylvania. For example, I red up the room. I still use that myself, meaning to clean or straighten up a room. I put in bold the explanation of any confusing Dutch words and what they mean by each days entry.
She was a proud woman that went to church every Sunday, even if her husband didn’t. Folks back then had such hard work to do like hauling large chunks of ice in winter and then keeping it packed away for their daily use on the farm. I was surprised to read they used the ice to make ice cream during the summer, even in July when black raspberries came in season.
Her daughter Bessie and husband Simon are mentioned in this diary. I remember as a very small child going to Bessie’s funeral at my grandmother’s house. My first funeral. Simon, her husband was the first to die of Typhoid Fever because of drinking impure water while working on the construction project of the Carlisle Pike. Included are newspaper clippings of his death, court details and details about others that got sick. It was the first case of its kind to go to court for workmen’s compensation. Twenty eight men got sick and fourteen died, all from this impure water.

What a difficult and hard life to live back then. It makes me so appreciate what my life is like today. At the end of the year in 1908 she puts details about their monthly expenses. She was clearly proud of the fact that they owe no one any money at the end of the year. I was amazed at how much money they had made that year.
Included are their full names, birth, death, burial details and their children’s names. Also are several photos my grandmother had kept.

I hope you enjoy reading this diary as much as I did.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeanette Gribble
• Release date: Apr 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310873553

Jeanette Gribble

Born, raised and still living in central Pennsylvania.

Book preview

Diary of a Farmer’s Wife in 1908

Copyright 2015 by Jeanette Gribble

Published by Jeanette Gribble at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes:

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

A Diary kept by Mrs Ells Lower (Minerva B Lower) in 1908 at the age of 40 years old.

This diary was written by my great-great grandmother in the year of 1908. My grandmother (Elizabeth Loudon Whitcomb) was born that year and is mentioned in this diary as Bessie’s baby. One day in June Minerva mentions her granddaughter by her name. That was exciting to me when I read her name. She was such a wonderful grandmother and I will never forget all the great times I spent with her, as I was her first grandchild. She lived to be 98 and had kept this old diary in safe keeping all those years.

As I started to read this diary I realized immediately the Pennsylvania Dutch way of talking. Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch is still the largest ancestry group in Pennsylvania. German speaking immigrants in the 17th century formed the first group in the Borough of Germantown in northwest Philadelphia County in 1683. They came here to escape religious persecution in Europe and numerous religious churches were formed.

After the second World War, Pennsylvania German language died out in favor of the English language. Most Pennsylvania Dutch are also known as Amish or Mennonite Lutheran. They wore traditional clothing that is simple, unadorned and hand made. Jewelry was not worn and unmarried men are usually clean shaven while married men have beards. Today you can find this practice is still held.

I put in bold the words that I was not familiar with or that clearly sounded Dutch and put a description of it’s meaning underneath it in the diary. I laughed when I read that she red up the room, which I still use today. For some of the words I had to do some searching for details and history.

What I learned about Minerva is that she was a proud hard working woman who went to church every Sunday and did her laundry every Monday. She was either washing or baking all the time. While reading this diary you realize how hard people had to work to just survive and eat. What a different life to live back then and it makes me so appreciate what my life is like today. At the end of the year she puts details about their monthly expenses. She was clearly proud of the fact that they owe no one any money at the end of the year.

In addition, at the end of this diary I included details about Bessie’s husband, Simon Seiler Loudon, whom died at the young age of 48 of typhoid fever from drinking bad water. This happened while he was working on the Carlisle Harrisburg Pike project in 1936. He was the first victim, of 14, to die from the drinking