[Apparently Audrey’s Carlisle mother in law and her son, “E” (Elinor often shortens names to the first initial) have come for a visit to Audrey’s but spends time at the Black River homestead. It is the first we have heard of this part of the family. Later George’s father comes to look for them but they have gone. Elinor doesn’t seem to pleased about her being at the Black River homestead. When the visit ends, Audrey and George “are more than glad” and Elinor’s mother gives them a gift bird, “Billy.” Audrey eventually marries John Maurer in 1928, 15 years later, and her occupation is listed as factory worker which is borne out in the diary descriptions. Elinor is still baking, sewing gifts and giving gifts, including a cake for her sister Audrey, “little gold blue enameled bluebird to pin there bibs with.” and an Apron for Gertie and a “white emboierdery dress for Bessie” She is still living at home but participates in the homestead flower planting “most all day” It has not been clear if she gets anything back for doing all the chores and making gifts. She feels somewhat put upon “I’ve been on the jump all day doing every thing for most every body.” Much of the family lived in or near Wellington, Ohio, including Elinor’s paternal great uncle, Harvey Luther Bonney (1844-1911) and his wife Cornelia (Elinor calls her Aunt Cornelia) and only child Leonard Warden Bonney (1884-1928). During this month Aunt Cornelia and Leonard drive to the Black River in “Len’s 60 horse power Car” and give Elinor a ride. Apparently he 21 mile trip from Wellington to Lorain took 2 hours using a 60 horse power car on the straight north route 58. Her sister’s Nellie and Audrey (with Martha in tow) visit Oberlin & Wellington “for a weeks visit” suggesting that travel might have been somewhat tedious, enough to stay for a week to justify or recover from the trip. Oberlin is 12 miles direct south on Rt. 58. See below for a picture Nellie and Martha 2-3 years later. Aunt Edie lives in Oberlin and Aunt Cornelia lives in Wellington.
Elinor’s diary starts by describing a hospitalization (without clear diagnosis) and long recovery. She complains of general fatigue throughout the diary but in June she has what she calls “a fit sometime in the night” that occurred after a week of sickness. These recur throughout the diary in various forms. ]
[Sun. Je. 1. 1913] Sun.June.1.Oh dear it stays so cold it mostly cloudy & rainy & we nearly freeze then comes so warm we allmost bake & the flowers look as though it were March instead of June
[Mon. Je. 2. 1913] Mon.2. I did the wash today
[Tue. Je. 3. 1913] Tue.3. Martha’s birth day she is 1 one year old I gave her & Evelyn each a little gold blue enameled bluebird pin to pin there bibs with. I ironed some & sewed some & did house work
Martha Carlisle about 3 yrs Aunt Nellie Bonney”
[Wed. Je. 4. 1913] Wed.4. New Moon today I am making
[Wed. Je. 4. 1913] Page 78. a white emboierdery dress for Beisie hadn’t any pattern so it took some time to cut it out & when I fit it, it was to farge & so that took more time
[Thurs. Je. 5. 1913] Thurs.5. Ma & Pa went to Cleveland today to visit with Mr. & Mrs. Walker at Uclid Beach Park & they went to call on Mrs. Haught but codn’t find them they had moved. I have done more house work then I have sewing today. Pa & Ma back at 8.
[Fri. Je. 6. 1913] Fri.6. Sewed all day am tired
[Sat. Je. 7. 1913] Sat.7. Been out among my flowers most all day put in some seed
[Sun. Je. 8. 1913] Jun.8. Geo. Mother & brother came to day I heard Martha calling so I went down their a little while Mr Merbaugh & his mother & father & Mr. Jones & Mr. Hurd came over in there car this morn. I Baked a cake for Audrey & am going to give Gertie the apron I made for her
[Mon. Je. 9. 1913] Page 79. Mon.9. Well I washed today but it was so warm I couldn’t make any headway & A’s mother in-law here half the time
[Tue. Je. 10. 1913] Tue.10. Oh, I’m so tired I’ve been on the jump all day doing every thing for most every body Oh. dee.dee. dee.
[Wed. Je. 11. 1913] Wed.11. I scrubed yesterday & ironed & baked today & sewed some.
[Thurs. Je. 12. 1913] Thurs.12. Sewed all day feel like flying
[Fri. Je. 13. 1913] Fri. 13. Well I fiinished my sewing to day & Mrs. C. & Son E. are going home Sun & A & G. are more than glad.
[Sat. Je. 14. 1913] Sat.14. Ma gave Billy to Mrs. C & he will go to Ashtabula in the morn. [note Billy is probably a pet bird]
[Sun. Je. 15. 1913] Sun.15. A’s company gone & A & R. & baby here for dinner & then Lenord & Aunt Cornelia came just as we had finished so we fixed dinner for them, they drove over in Len’s 60 horse power Car, he took me out for a nice drive they went home before supper drove her from Wellington
[Sun. Je. 15. 1913] Page 80. in two hrs. F. R. & E went home in the evening. beautiful moon light
[Mon. Je. 15-27. 1913] Mon.16. Tue.17. Wed 18. Thurs.19. Fri.20. Sat. Sun. 22. Mon.23. Tue.24. Wed 25. Thurs. 26. Fri 27.
[Sat. Je. 28. 1913] Sat. 28. Well I did the wash & washed my [??] hair pet. ironed, scrubed, sewed, have been sick all the week had a fit some time in the night Mon.night so its been rather hard to work & its so hot one has to wipe sweat most of the time ma has been feeling so bad, I have had to work other wise I beieve I should have taken a rest this week. Audrey, Nellie & Martha have gone to Oberlin & Wellington for a weeks visit, George went to Ashtabula
[Sun. Je. 29. 1913] Sun 29. his father came here to dinner, for he didn’t know the children were goine
[Mon. Je. 30. 1913] Mon.30. I washed 5 double blankets, two comfort covers & done all the wash today