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Below is the first web page of text from a journal that David Henry Frost kept from 1878 to 1880. There is a link to the next page near the bottom of this page. There is also an index of all of the pages. |
[Retyped by David Frost, (B, Victor)]
A Family Journal Of Events and Incidents in the Life of D. H. Frost and Family. Begun at Belle Plaine, Iowa, On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1878.
[A newspaper article is attached to the page at the lower right. The text follows]
{A Family Journal}
{In a certain farm house twenty years ago, a great plank book was kept and labeled Home
Journal. Every night somebody made an entry into it. Father set down the sale of the
calves or mother the cut of baby's eye tooth; or perhaps Jenny wrote a full account
of the sleighing party last night; or Bob the proceedings of the Phi Beta club; or Tom
scrawled, "Tried my new gun. Bully. Shot into the fence and hit Johnson's old cat."
On toward the middle of the book there was an entry of Jenny's marriage, and one of the younger
girls had added a description of the brides maid's dresses, and long afterwards there was
written, "This day father died," in Bob's trembling hand. There was a blank for many
months after that.
But nothing could have served better to bind that family of head-strong boys and girls
together than keeping of this book. They come back to the old homestead now - men and
women with grizzled hair, to see their mother who is still living, and turn over its
pages reverently with many a hearty laugh, or the tears coming into the eyes. It is their
childhood come back again in visionable shape.}
Family Journal
National Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1878. The record of events in this journal begins on this day, partly because the old New England Anniversary, with it pleasant tradition of good cheer and good will, makes a convenient starting point, and partly because we received just now the suggestion of the idea in a stray newspaper clipping which we append right here to show how the plan[?] originated, and what is the purpose of the journal itself. It is understood, of course, that this journal is strictly a family affair, and not intended for the curious eyes of strangers, nor even of friends, outside of the sacred circle of Home.
This day opened and continued, bright, sunshiny and pleasant, the air mild and Indian Summery. The folks at home were busy all the morning in preparing for the usual Thanksgiving Dinner. [?] services were advertised at the Congregational Church at 11 am, [?] to be preached by Rev. A. P. Graves, evangelist. No sermon was in fact preached, the meeting assuming the form of a sort of general conference and praise meeting. None of us attended, except Jennie and Cora[?] [and Thea! - added in later and above] and I will let them, if they choose, tell mom[?] particularly of the meeting. Artie, Ethel and Father took a walk into the grove northeast of our house and had a very pleasant time. The little ones returned somewhat tired and hungry. The Thanksgiving Dinner was served about 3 p.m. and all the family now living were present. Named in order of their ages, they are these: D. H. Frost, aged 57; Mrs. Caroline E. Frost, 51; Henry A., 28; Elizabeth Marion, 25; Carrie E., 23; Jennie S., 22; Cora, 20; Olive Theo Cora, 11; Arthur K., 9; Ethel, E., 7. Besides the members of our family there were also present Mrs. Merrill[?], who was helping Mrs. F., and our nephew and cousin from Kansas, Ellery Blackmer, who reached here night before last, and of whose arrival the following record was made in The Belle Plaine Union of this date, as given in the [?] printed slip viz:
[Here is the text of the attached article.]
{Mr. Ellery Blackmer, a young man nearly related to The Union household, reached here on
Tuesday evening, having come all the way from his home at Marysville, Kansas, about four
hundred miles, on horseback. He spent a few days visiting on the route, but was only
eight and a half days on the road in actual travel. Thus making an average of nearly
fifty miles per day. He was accompanied as far as Grinneil by young Clarence White,
formerly of this county.}
Of the thanksgiving dinner itself I will not speak in detail, leaving that for Jennie, or some one of the household who had more to do with its preparation. I endeavored to do justice to it while it was being discussed. Suffice it now to say there was an abundance of good things. After dinner some engaged in playing backgammon, some had more businesslike duties to attend to, while Thea got up an entirely novel entertainment for her our amusement. Climbing upon the rude shanty which serves as a stable for Ellery's pony, she began dancing a lively jig on the roof. The boards proved not to be equal to this experience and she broke through, falling down into the stable by the side of the pony. Both she and the pony were very much frightened. But fortunately she experienced no injuries except some slight bruises from the fall.
Marion received a letter from Miss Blackmer, County Superintendent, offering her a four months' school internship[?], this county[?], at $30 per month, which she accepted, and will start for there on Saturday morning, to begin school on Monday. D.H.F.
Last revised December 20, 1998.
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