MAY 1879

……………day  Frank and Douthie gone to the Burg
……..…… planted my water mellons  and peas  rained 
……………cool to day     heard all about poor Nofsingers 
death that is another man
[BTM]  This is the first day of May 1879.  NOFSINGERS was somehow 
connected to the killing of Dr. NORRIS.

2 Day Sunday    Mr Totty me and Lillie Started to Mr 
Tays met Pea at the well   Lillie was So glad   she 
…..we went on     my tooth   aches  So bad  I cant enjoy
…..nything     I went with Mrs Taylor to look at her garden
…she has a  nice one          Still cool and Cloudy
[BTM] Mr Totty & Rhoda went to visit the father of Bart Traylor, Jesse and  his step-mother Margaret Ann Carolton TRAYLOR.   Orlena Redrick Traylor,  Barts mother died in 1872.    Rhoda having quite a problem with her teeth that she doesn’t really enjoy herself. 

..Day   Lillie gone to School rode behind her pap   he went
…..Marshalls   Pea gone to Harvilles   Mrs Simpson got …..
…..ast night  got Company    I See Children over there or
……child                 I am feeling badly    face swelled
[BTM] 3RD Day   Rhoda must have a badly infected tooth for her face to be swollen.  Either her neighbor Mrs Laura Simpson had company or the TOTTY family did, it is hard to tell from these bits and pieces of the diary.  The main mode of transportation seemed to be either by horse or wagon.   I love sitting and making a  picture in my mind of Lillie sitting behind her “Pap” on the horse as she goes off to school.  When I get caught up a little, I will have to get my paint and brushes out and paint some of these pictures to illustrate Rhoda’s diary(s), they are a wonderful inspiration in more ways than one to me.

…..Day     geting warm again   Douthit plowing..    Mr Totty
….s and reading the Videte      I Scaled my hand  fear it
…very sore     Frank plowing for his pap
[BTM] 4th Day  She must be talking about Mr. Totty reading the paperwork in regard to the Dr. Norris murder.    Julius DOUTHET is found on the 1880 Montague Co. Census in HH# 264/295 as engineer, and Thomas DOUTLET in HH# 274/305 as a farmer, most likely neighbor Thomas is the one who is plowing.  Everyone getting the ground ready for spring planting. 

….Day of May  Betties birth day 27 to day   Jase
……for dinner    I told him Bettie ought to have a cake
[BTM]  This would be May 5, 1879, Betties 27th birthday.

Frank and Jase plowing in their corn    all hands gone ov…
After dinner       Squirrel runing over my head playing 
I cant hardly write                     Wagner drove up just at
………….….all talking about the Hanging all mad with
..udge Carrol               I am Still mad with the Governor 
for not letting poor    Nofsinger live  too       but I 
cant help it if         I could there would be no more 
hanging ..   for    I   Say   Boldly   it  is  another murder
……….ry  time it is done.
[BTM]  Date unknown.   The new Gov in office on Jan 21, 1879 was Oran M. Roberts.    Judge Carrol must have been the local area Criminal Judge that Rhoda and her neighbors were upset with, over the hanging of Nofsinger. 

     Day Louisa come walked carried her baby but she was
So tired but what She could talk some  Mary made the children
Do for her
[BTM] Date upknown.   That is a long way to walk carrying a baby from home to her parents house.

……..Day  planting  Douthits Cotton   that will finish cotton
…………….ne for this year     Mollie and Mag here washing
………had just got a Sewing Machine    Cloudy this evening
………come home   Lizzie Chesser come with her………..
…………eating and  ru…ing like School girls it was……..
…………………………………………………………….
[BTM] Date unknown.  Someone got a new sewing Machine, but can’t tell from this little entry.   Elizabeth Chesser and Lillie must have been having a gay old time running and playing. 
* rest of page for month is illegible and or gone
 

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Transcribed from Original Diary by Birdie (Totty) McNutt ©2000