Martha Schofield diary, 1885-1888

[Front Cover]

Memorandum


[Graphic]

SIEBELING BROS.
LAW & COMMERCIAL
STATIONERS.
PRINTERS
AND
BLANK BOOK
MANUFACTURERS.

S.E. Cor. Fifth & Walnut &
438 Walnut Sts.

PHILADELPHIA


Martha Schofield.
Aiken .
South Carolina -

1885 .

H


Bartholdi's Statue of
Liberty.

Forefinger - 96 1/2 inches
Circumference - 56 1/2
Nail 17 3/4 [inches] by 10 1/2.
Head 13 3/4 feet in height.
Held about 40 persons in 1878
Eye - 25 1/2 [inches] in width.
Nose - 44 [inch] in length.
Torch above the hand
will hold 12 persons.
It far outstrips all other
collosi.


Bellis Academy.

Miss Wests - [Pastor]
Young Ladies Missionary
Society of Shaws Creek paid
over 100 [dollars] in one day -
Not more than 50 members -
taxed themselves - raise & sell
eggs chickens pick cotton, etc.
All country girls.

Mt. Cannaan paid over 100 [dollars]
Both pay [Underlined: more] than that
during the year.


On 3rd day evening [August] 31st
1886. We had all retired - [Brother]
Samuel S. Ash Earl & Mary, Sisters
Elisa and Sarah were all boarding
at [Colonel] Robert K. Allens on Mills
River, Henderson [County] [North Carolina].
About ten the windows began to
rattle and a groaning rumbling
noise seemed creeping through
the walls of the house, moving
it, until every part trembled
and the beds [Underlined: shook] continually
As the noise continued it grew
louder and more violent when
it went off slowly as it came
on, not like a [Underlined: shock], as of a
thunder clap, but with the
slow tremulous motion, growing
stronger until it reached its
height, and the more severe


lasting four or five minutes, a
time of [Underlined: suspense] & agony, as if
the earth was preparing to open
and swallow us up.

I sprang out of bed, to hear Sister
E., in the room adjoining, scream
"Mart, Mart there are two men
under my bed, shaking it," I
ran in, & said no it is an earthquake
& then back to my own &
struck a light. Samuel & Sallie
were across the hall, she had wakened
him, & when I reached there was
sitting on the side of the bed in the
most [Underlined: hopeless, helpless] condition,
Elisa was busy dressing & calling
Earl to do the same. She was entirely
dressed & so was Samuel & Sallie
before it was out. Mary was still
asleep, but when another one


went in & saw me making up
a large bundle, saying, "it is
very cold and we may as well
save some clothes". We all
prepared to leave the house if
necessary & agreed at a particular
place out side.

It was [Underlined: very cold] - (mercury 54 [degrees] the
next morning at 7) the sky
cloudless & stars shone brightly -
For some time before the wind
had been blowing, or rather a
[Underlined: moving of the atmosphere], which
I felt in the room, as I left -
my bed (a little after 9) to [Underlined: take]
some papers from the window
where they seemed [Underlined: disturbed]. Mrs.
Allen felt the same [Underlined: disturbed air]
when she went in Mr. Oehlers
room to close the windows.


The dogs had barked so furiously
I had said to Elisa some one
[Underlined: must] be about out side. We
heard after, that chickens left
their roosts, one man called for
a light, thinking it was burglars
over head. Another tied his four
little children together fearing
it was a cyclone.

Mills River joins the French
Broad a mile from here and
the valley surrounded with Mountains,
Pisgah & Mitchell in sight
both over 600 [feet] high. Some
went right out to see if either
were smoking from an eruption,
but, they seemed secure as ever
and even the wind was hushed
in awe.

[September] 3. About 11 P.M. there


was another shock, but it went
off in 30 [seconds]. No one can ever
forget, or fail to recognize the
peculiar, grinding crushing
crumbling sound, which seems
to come up from the earth &
creep & crawl through the walls.
[Colonel] Allens house is a large
low one, half of it of [Underlined: logs] but
other boarded [Underlined: over], so that
all looks like a [Underlined: frame] house.

The one of [August] 31st nearly
ruined Charleston & Summerville,
& many were killed
rushing from the falling houses,


1888
[?] it unto Thee, even
as thou wilt."

Where the treasure is there
will the heart be also.


Caroline Scott, 1885
picked
66
50
22
26
165 [pounds]

He only [paid] 55 [pounds]. She told him
it was 80. showed him on paper.
He kept her waiting 3 [weeks] & then
when she told him [Underlined: had forgot]
how many [pounds] - Innocently said
I just got close up to the scales
& [Underlined: look], but he just moves the
weight all about, [Crossed out: till he gets it].
If he would take [?] I couldn't
help it.


Nancy Busch, did not know
how to cut a baby's apron or
iron her childrens clothers, & she had
6. I wondered her Mother had
not taught her, & she answered,
"My Mother did not know [Underlined: how],
she never made a shirt for my
father or sewed for any of us.
She was kept-at-work. They
(the Master) said she was a
good field hand and a prime
breeder. She had 16 children
and never took care of one of
them, an old woman did it &
just sent the babies to her to
[Underlined: nuss], when she was in the field.
They thought a heap of my Mother.
Just gave her two weeks when a
baby was born & then she went to the
field - sometimes in nine days.


[November] 6th 1885

Circus near school with
five elephants, as the large
one was drinking from a
barrel, a woman came up
and exclaimed, "oh Lordy!
he throw it right in he
neek".


Earthquake Notes of [August] 31st 1886

Rahab was in Church, thought it
was the train, then felt her feet &
knees trebling and the [Underlined: great noise],
with the people all frightened, and
screaming. Mrs. Oliver a white woman
nearby, jumped from her sick bed &
threw her shawl over her night dress &
ran into the Church, white as a ghost.

William Conner was going to the train
heard a terrible noise coming up the
track, it brest out at the depot, & [?]
made the depot jump in two. Then the
ground went like waves of water, up &
down.

He might have


Name of one mans
children -

George Jackson
Charles [ditto]
Andrew
Sam
Miranda
Rosie
Leah. Lilliah
Ida
Wiley
George Wilson
Leah Wilson

Dead
Amanda - hurt herself
Harriet - hung herself
dead by the neck, intentionally
13 - Mistress so
cruel & it hung itself
& the Mistress had another
girl given her and she


hung herself -.

Some come here dead.


A man sold a horse for
90 [dollars] and bought him
back again for 80 [dollars]. Then
sold him again for 100 [dollars].
What did he make by the
transaction?

Conundrum given by Miss
Ryder New Years day - 1888.

The 1st is company [?]
The 2nd Shuns company [?]
The 3rd draws company [?]
The whole entertains company.


[Envelope]

Martha Schofield
Harrison Westchester [County]
New York


[Newspaper Clipping]

From the Christian Register.
"LEAD ME."


[Newspaper Clipping]

SONNET.
BY EMILY H. MOORE.


[Newspaper Clipping]

REST.
BY MARY CLEMMER.


[Back Cover]

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