RARE 1898 Handwritten Diary Blanch Yeomans Halstead Kansas Spanish American War
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:281605 |
WELCOMETO SALLY’S DIARIES: Upfor auction today is an 1898 Spanish American War era handwrittendiary that originally was published in 1870 but our author, BlanchMary Yeomans, used it to record the events of her life in 1898. Asthe diary opens up she is attending some kind of institute in Kansasand she lived in both Lakin and Halstead Kansas. But the interestingthing is that her father’s step father was a part of the group ofpeople that traveled to Oregon on the great Oregon Trail ...and what atangled web this was for me to figure out, but I need to share it. Ourauthor’s father, Charles Humason Yeomans, was born in Warren Ohioon August 3rd, 1849. But three months earlier before hewas born, his mother, Julia King Soule married Orlando Humason whilestill in Warren. Right after that, in 1850, Orlando Humason took offfor Oregon but Julia did not follow him she staid back in Ohio withher young son Charles (Blanch’s father). Why did Orlando marryJulia??? What happened to Charles real father? In1857 Orlando married another woman, Phoebe Marie Jackson at FifteenMile Creek Oregon near the Columbia River. Again not sure whereCharles real father was but Orlando his stepfather ended up in TheDalles Oregon which is located on the great Columbia River. Orlandowas known as “The father of Wasco County” and one of the earliestpioneers of Oregon and the founder of Wasco County. I had to includehis photo her which is a copy I found on the web. Even tho it isBlanch’s step-grandfather I feel it is important to know all this.Then in the 1860 census I found that Julia still in Warren and her 11year old son Charles in Kinsman Ohio with I believe his real father, John T. Yeoman. Julia(Blanch’s grandmother) staid in Warren her entire life but at theage of 25, Charles moved to Lakin Kansas, the year was 1875 and atthe end of the year he married our authors mother, Mary Anna Rasey.Then two years later in 1877 Blanch was born. Hope I am making sense. Thephoto above of Blanch is one I found on the web. Since she was bornin 1877, she’s only 21 years old when writing in her diary butseems much older as she is wise beyond her years. She had 4 siblings;David, Irene, Edward and Grace. Blanch married Cleland McBurney onOctober 26th, 1901 and during the time frame this diaryrepresents, Cleland is trying to get Blanch to marry him. She passedaway in 1941. Thereis so much to her entries, not just the things she does on a dailybasis but her thoughts and feelings. I’m not sure what it is buther father’s going to court for something and she is distraughtover it. Say’s he lost in court and she blames her Aunt Julia forit. At the first of March she goes and visits her father’schildhood home in Kinsman Ohio and I believe I found a photo on theweb of that very home, taken later of course. It’s called theKinsman-Yeomans home and the day she visits it she describes it indetail. It’s so cool reading her description (see March 3rdbelow) and then seeing a photo of the home itself. While there shewas given her father’s old drum that he carried with him whileserving during the Civil War. There is also a great deal of news thatshe records concerning the Spanish American War. Idon’t know why she just suddenly stopped but the diary has longfull, detailed and descriptive entries from February 6thto June 22nd. There are a few miscellaneous notes afterthat including some written by possibly one of her children; Charlesor Edward. Pages are torn out from January 1st to January25th. Then 6 pages of miscellaneous handwritten notes andagain the diary entries begin on February 2nd. Well, best way to really describe Blanch’s entries is to quote a few, asfollows…….
1898“February6th, A little cloudy. Helped with the work. Cleaned out the cupboard. Wasso sick I could hardly hold my head up. Could not eat. The girlscousin’s have come to do some sewing for them. At night wasvery sick. I don’t want to die here. Almost wish I was home butdon’t want to go until spring. Oh how sick I am.” (On the11th she boards the train for Cleveland for a few days)“February14th, Valentines morning. The Beach girls got some comical ones. I got aletter from Mack (This is Cleland McBurney she’s talking aboutwhen he says “Mack”). He is on the farm where hebelongs. I practiced on the piano. Went to town in the afternoon. GotMack an amethysts scarf pin, cost $1.25 and sent it right off. Got avalentine for Aunt Julia, and a butter dish. Then Arthur Beach tookme to the tip of the court house. I saw Yurl (?), the murdererthey are hanging. His trial now. Mr. Beach showed me throughthe offices and different courts. Went into the grand army hall.” “February20th, Two months ago I left home. The day is awful. Rained nearly all thetime. Did not get up until 9 o’clock. Read the bible, looked atbooks. Looked over Harry’s old letters. I am surprised to thinkthat a girl to write to a young man as some of them have and I cannothelp but think that he is not alright. I wrote to Mamma, Mack andFred and I do hope that I will always find Mack pure and noble inevery respect. Mr. Haddock came back and had so much to tell. I amnot feeling one bit well. Do hope I won’t be sick here. Luciabrought me up some nice pot corn.” (Dr. said she has “cattarachof the stomach.” “February26th…...What an unhappy story my father’s life was.It seems awful. I cannot help but blame Aunt J. Am I wrong? I cry andthe way it seems to me, they have all deserted papa and he is just asnoble as any and just look what he would and might have been.”(She is heading for Kinsman, her father’s childhood home)“March3rd, A very disagreeable day but Louisa and I visited the old home. Itseemed so strange that I should be where papa had spend the first ofhis life. The blue room I noticed in particular with its low wallsand one window. The sitting room, the parlor, the old wood house andI thought there was some of papa’s markings. The old barn, theYeoman’s brook. Everything so nice. Then we went into the big barnand looked over the big house. Everything was grand. I have neverseen anything to equal it. The well house was a pretty structure.”(March 6th & 7th are torn out. She startsher trip back home but stops in Cleveland on the 14th)“March17th, Changed depots at Chicago. Washed and got on my car all right, knowbother what ever. Met a lady from Gt. Bend then at night a lady, old, going to Ok. City. Sit with me all the way. There were two ladiesgoing to Colo. and back, had two babies and how they did cry but Islept well and was refreshed. In the morning shared my lunch with theold lady. Met a lady from Perry OK. When I got to Newton (Kansas)I was so nervous I could hardly sit still. Rena, Channie and Mackwere at the depot and Mack brought me home. It rained hard and Mackstayed over night.” “April1st, Another beautiful day. Mr. Phelps did not come until late. Put downthe two pumps. They are queer looking things, blue with tin spouts.Mr. Wagnor was out helping papa plant corn. I am so glad to be athome, so glad. I cannot help but think of last years sad experienceand wonder what the years to come have in store for me. What havethey. What am I going to do. Why the question almost scares me. I amgood for nothing. O dear! Dear!.” “April3rd, …..How Cleland (remember this is her future husband) beggedme to go with him this year but I won’t, no never. I feel so sorryfor him, poor fellow. While he was acting so despondent a mouse cameinto the room so I said come let catch this mouse so we did andkilled it. Mack did not go until 2 and papa was so provoked.”(Mack keeps asking her to marry him and finally says he is going awayforever if she won’t. April 7th war is declared)“April9th, …...McKinley has put off war until Gen. Lee can get outof Cuba. He is buying battle ships.” “April11th, Georgie is a nuisance I helped papa with his assessor books andfinished them up all right…..Mama caught George and Georgia in thehall talking. He seemed ashamed. She was out to the field where hewas two or three times. She is disgusting but I pity her. George actsas if he was bewitched with her.” “April22nd, I was up early. It is still raining. Cleland staid until afterdinner. I sewed carpet rags then stamped a doily with violets. It isvery pretty. After dinner Cleland got ready to go. Before he left hetried his best to get me to marry him this year but I wouldn’t. Hewent away very angry declaring never to come again and calling medeceitful but I didn’t care…...” “May9th, ….Papa is taking a daily and there has been a great naval victoryby Dewey. 11 Spanish ships were sunk so the Philippine islands areours. Only 5 Americans wounded and 200 Spaniards killed. Sampson isgetting ready to take Port Rico and troops are getting ready to landin Cuba. We are all in. Hopes that the war will end soon. There is agrand account of the K. City troops leaving in the paper.” “June16th, A pleasant day after the storm. Mr. Wagner came out to work but Jackdidn’t I feel provoked at him. They all went to town…..The U.S.army are being transported to Cuba. I wonder if the Mr. Collinskilled his father. Poor fellow. I feel sorry for him for he must havebeen nearly crazy when he did it. ….Joe Wier and another boy cameto bath in the pond. It is very deep and they all seem to enjoy it.” Herlast entry is on June 22nd and about 10 pages after thatwith some scribbling and other notes. A few torn out pages on theblank days too. But all in all the diary has some historicalsignificance and provenance. It’s in fair shape; back pocket istorn, edges of the cover are worn and again a few torn out pages. Thediary measures about 3” x 5”.
1898“February6th, A little cloudy. Helped with the work. Cleaned out the cupboard. Wasso sick I could hardly hold my head up. Could not eat. The girlscousin’s have come to do some sewing for them. At night wasvery sick. I don’t want to die here. Almost wish I was home butdon’t want to go until spring. Oh how sick I am.” (On the11th she boards the train for Cleveland for a few days)“February14th, Valentines morning. The Beach girls got some comical ones. I got aletter from Mack (This is Cleland McBurney she’s talking aboutwhen he says “Mack”). He is on the farm where hebelongs. I practiced on the piano. Went to town in the afternoon. GotMack an amethysts scarf pin, cost $1.25 and sent it right off. Got avalentine for Aunt Julia, and a butter dish. Then Arthur Beach tookme to the tip of the court house. I saw Yurl (?), the murdererthey are hanging. His trial now. Mr. Beach showed me throughthe offices and different courts. Went into the grand army hall.” “February20th, Two months ago I left home. The day is awful. Rained nearly all thetime. Did not get up until 9 o’clock. Read the bible, looked atbooks. Looked over Harry’s old letters. I am surprised to thinkthat a girl to write to a young man as some of them have and I cannothelp but think that he is not alright. I wrote to Mamma, Mack andFred and I do hope that I will always find Mack pure and noble inevery respect. Mr. Haddock came back and had so much to tell. I amnot feeling one bit well. Do hope I won’t be sick here. Luciabrought me up some nice pot corn.” (Dr. said she has “cattarachof the stomach.” “February26th…...What an unhappy story my father’s life was.It seems awful. I cannot help but blame Aunt J. Am I wrong? I cry andthe way it seems to me, they have all deserted papa and he is just asnoble as any and just look what he would and might have been.”(She is heading for Kinsman, her father’s childhood home)“March3rd, A very disagreeable day but Louisa and I visited the old home. Itseemed so strange that I should be where papa had spend the first ofhis life. The blue room I noticed in particular with its low wallsand one window. The sitting room, the parlor, the old wood house andI thought there was some of papa’s markings. The old barn, theYeoman’s brook. Everything so nice. Then we went into the big barnand looked over the big house. Everything was grand. I have neverseen anything to equal it. The well house was a pretty structure.”(March 6th & 7th are torn out. She startsher trip back home but stops in Cleveland on the 14th)“March17th, Changed depots at Chicago. Washed and got on my car all right, knowbother what ever. Met a lady from Gt. Bend then at night a lady, old, going to Ok. City. Sit with me all the way. There were two ladiesgoing to Colo. and back, had two babies and how they did cry but Islept well and was refreshed. In the morning shared my lunch with theold lady. Met a lady from Perry OK. When I got to Newton (Kansas)I was so nervous I could hardly sit still. Rena, Channie and Mackwere at the depot and Mack brought me home. It rained hard and Mackstayed over night.” “April1st, Another beautiful day. Mr. Phelps did not come until late. Put downthe two pumps. They are queer looking things, blue with tin spouts.Mr. Wagnor was out helping papa plant corn. I am so glad to be athome, so glad. I cannot help but think of last years sad experienceand wonder what the years to come have in store for me. What havethey. What am I going to do. Why the question almost scares me. I amgood for nothing. O dear! Dear!.” “April3rd, …..How Cleland (remember this is her future husband) beggedme to go with him this year but I won’t, no never. I feel so sorryfor him, poor fellow. While he was acting so despondent a mouse cameinto the room so I said come let catch this mouse so we did andkilled it. Mack did not go until 2 and papa was so provoked.”(Mack keeps asking her to marry him and finally says he is going awayforever if she won’t. April 7th war is declared)“April9th, …...McKinley has put off war until Gen. Lee can get outof Cuba. He is buying battle ships.” “April11th, Georgie is a nuisance I helped papa with his assessor books andfinished them up all right…..Mama caught George and Georgia in thehall talking. He seemed ashamed. She was out to the field where hewas two or three times. She is disgusting but I pity her. George actsas if he was bewitched with her.” “April22nd, I was up early. It is still raining. Cleland staid until afterdinner. I sewed carpet rags then stamped a doily with violets. It isvery pretty. After dinner Cleland got ready to go. Before he left hetried his best to get me to marry him this year but I wouldn’t. Hewent away very angry declaring never to come again and calling medeceitful but I didn’t care…...” “May9th, ….Papa is taking a daily and there has been a great naval victoryby Dewey. 11 Spanish ships were sunk so the Philippine islands areours. Only 5 Americans wounded and 200 Spaniards killed. Sampson isgetting ready to take Port Rico and troops are getting ready to landin Cuba. We are all in. Hopes that the war will end soon. There is agrand account of the K. City troops leaving in the paper.” “June16th, A pleasant day after the storm. Mr. Wagner came out to work but Jackdidn’t I feel provoked at him. They all went to town…..The U.S.army are being transported to Cuba. I wonder if the Mr. Collinskilled his father. Poor fellow. I feel sorry for him for he must havebeen nearly crazy when he did it. ….Joe Wier and another boy cameto bath in the pond. It is very deep and they all seem to enjoy it.” Herlast entry is on June 22nd and about 10 pages after thatwith some scribbling and other notes. A few torn out pages on theblank days too. But all in all the diary has some historicalsignificance and provenance. It’s in fair shape; back pocket istorn, edges of the cover are worn and again a few torn out pages. Thediary measures about 3” x 5”.
