Diaries can be a delightful window into the lives of our ancestors. The Historical and Genealogical Library in Circleville has a copy of the diary of Jacob W. Stiverson, beginning January 1, 1888. Following is an excerpt from the article by Darlene Weaver, in the April 18, 2009 edition of the Circleville Herald.
Jacob W. Stiverson, only child of Jacob and Hannah Howe Stiverson, was born in Jackson Township in 1816. He died at age 84 at his home in South Bloomfield in 1901. Stiverson was married to Margaret West and to them were born seven children. One of these was George W. Stiverson.
George was one of those dedicated enough to keep good farm records and to make daily entries in his day book or diary. The diary in the possession of the Historical and Genealogical Library begins on January 1, 1888.
The first entry is an annual catalogue of the farm for 1888. It lists all of the animals on the farm including mares Ella and Topsy and a bay horse named Bob. Two old wagons, a buggy and harness, plows and harrow, a fanning mill, four stands of bees and their boxes 2,000 feet of lumber and a list of grain are also a part of the annual inventory. Next, a list of all the stock’s breeding times are listed and then begins the daily account of his activities on the farm. Jan. 1 found it raining. The feed was put out while still raining and the horses put out for water by 10:00. Stiverson finished reading “The Light of Another Day,” given him the previous day by Mary Wilkins.
