Diary of John Arch Collins

1912

January 3, 1912. This morning it rained and rained most all day. I helped Papa put up a stack of straw this morning, and afternoon I went to Lydie Ervin's and got his saw. I layed some flooring in the kitchen.

Jan 9. This morning I layed some floor in the kitchen, taken Lydie Ervin's saw home. I went to Billy Campbell's and got some cabbage and potatoes.

February 10, 1912. Henry Clontz came by to see Papa. The first time in eighteen years.

Feb 12. Henry Clontz is spending the night with us.

Feb 25. Sunday. Stayed at home all day. Homer and Carl Maness came over here this morning and I cut his hair, and then they went back home, and Reuben came and stayed all day, until it commenced raining, and then they all went home.

Feb 29. Boring a well. Worked all day. We had Earl Lipe, Lee Sherrill and John Young, and Mr. Arthur and myself. We went down 40 feet and had a lot of trouble.

March 15, 1912. This morning it was raining, and rained until about noon. The creek was all over the bottoms and washed my wheat away, and washed the bottoms bad. The mail could not get through today, as the water was all over the bridge. It was the highest it has ever been.

Mar 16. Worked the road by my house and put the bridge back that washed away yesterday, and after noon I fixed up the old ..... and patched it up. Went to the union meeting.

Mar 20. Taken Bessie to the doctor. She can't see very good in the night. After I got back and fixed the ..., Bessie set out some cabbage plants this evening.

Mar 27. Went to Troutman to see the doctor about Bessie this afternoon.

Mar 30. Went to Troutman to load a ....We loaded it and came home. Bessie was worse. Seemed like she was paralyzed. She could not use her hands. I sent John Young for the doctor, and he came. She got some better before he got here. I had Mr. Stinson to phone Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, and they got here about midnight. Bessie slept well and seemed all right.

April 5, 1912. The baby is sick, and Bessie is also sick.

Apr 6, 1912 This morning I went for the doctor at Troutman for the baby. He came but could not do anything for it, and he died about 8 or 9 o'clock. He had constricted bowels. It was hard to give it up, but it is out of trouble and suffering. Note- Our baby, Aubrey Collins, died this morning at half-past eight o'clock.

Apr 7. Sunday. The day has been an awful day with us, as we buried our darling baby at Rocky Mount today. It rained off and on all day.



Apr 12. Went to Troutman this morning after the doctor to come and see Bessie, as she is no better. He came a little while before night.

Apr 14. Sunday. Stayed at home all day, only I walked around, but didn't see anyone nowhere. There has been a lot of people here today.

Apr 16. John Young and I hauled out some manure on my rye lot where I am going to put cotton, and after noon I went after the doctor, and it commenced raining, and he could not come but sent some medicine for her, and she got worse in the night, and we sent after him again, and he didn't come, and at midnight I sent my buggy after him, and he came and worked out her stomach, and Bessie got better and easier.

Apr 18. This morning I harrowed some land in the pasture. John Young worked in the newground until noon. After noon I went over to the Gilleland place, and started to harrow some cotton.
Bessie got worse, and little Barron came for me, and I came home and sent back for Ernest to go for the doctor, but he didn't come. He sent some medicine. I commenced giving it to her, but she didn't get any better. I went and got Ernest to go after the doctor at 11 o'clock, and he came this morning, and said she was better, put some medicine in her arm, and she went to sleep, and slept two hours. I fixed up the buggy and Ernest taken the doctor back. It was half past 5 when he left and the doctor said she was better, but she died in about thirty minutes.


Apr 19. This morning about 6 o'clock, Bessie, my dear wife, died, and the rest of the day I hardly know what went on. Note: Bessie Cartwright Collins died at six o'clock.


Apr 20. This morning it is cloudy and commenced raining some, and drizzled rain all day. We went to Rocky Mount with Bessie. Left the house at half past two o'clock. Rev. Ed....preached her funeral. We all went over to Mr. Tommie Nesbitt's and stayed all night. Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, Blaine and Barron, and me and my two sweet babies. It was an awful night to me. I think I know what trouble is now.




Apr 21. Sunday. We stayed at Tommie Nesbitt's last night. Came home and went up to ... with Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright. We got there about six o'clock and found everything all right.

Apr 22. This morning the two babies and I are at Mr. Cartwright's. It is raining, and we stayed all day.

Apr 23. This morning I came home from Mr. Cartwright's and left the children with Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright. I got to Papa's before night.

Apr 24. This morning I came from Papa's over home and went to work. John Young and I ... some ditches in the pasture, and tried to plow them, but the land was too wet. So I went and harrowed some corn land on yon side of the creek. John Young worked in the newground.

Apr 26. This morning Kate and some women came in and washed up some things, and I helped them some.

Apr 27. I went with Tom Ervin to Troutman to get some fish, but they had sold them all. I paid Mr. Barringer $41.61 on Bessie's coffin.

Apr 28. Sunday. Stayed at Papa's all day and haven't been well at all. Was in bed this evening, only went over home to feed my things (livestock..-ed). Mr. and Mrs. Jones were here today.

May 5, 1912. Sunday. at Papa's all day, only I went over home this morning and fed my things, and by Mr. Stinson's to hear from my children. They were well, and later this evening I went to the graveyard and taken some flowers to put on Bessie's and Aubrey's graves.

May 8. Went to Mooresville with Papa and bought a trunk to put Bessie's things in. Give $3.50 for it, and got John Young some things. Six yards of shirt goods cost sixty cents, and fifty cents for a shirt, and one pair of overalls, one dollar.

May 11. This morning I taken the mules and went over home and commenced plowing, and it commenced raining, and John Young and I taken a cow over to Mary Sherrill's which I sold her, and it rained so hard I stayed until after noon, and went on to Troutman and phoned to Mrs. Cartwright about my babies, and they are well.

June 7, 1912. Went over home this morning and fixed a sweet potato patch. It rained until nearly noon, and I come back to Papa's and after noon helped Papa plow some. Mother and I went over to my house and set out some cabbage plants and some sweet potato slips. Then I come back and worked in the blacksmith shop.

September 12, 1912. William Overcash left me today and went home, and Reuben is staying all night with me. It is the first night I have been at home since Bessie died (Five months --ed.), and I feel awful lonesome.

Sep 21. Went to Mooresvile to the Road to get a job to do the grade, and I paid W.C. Johnson $2.85 for nails. It was sunset when I came home, done up my work, and went to Papa's and stayed all night.

Sep 22. Sunday. Went to Doolie to preaching and then went on home with Will Freeze and taken dinner. Got home about sunset.

Sep. 23 Went over to Papa's this morning and got Mother to come over and churn for me, and I taken her back home after noon, and then went to Troutman and got me a pair of shoes. Tonight I went over to Will Sims' and stayed all night.

Sep 24. Today John Young and I pulled corn, shucked corn in the barn all day. Will and Florida came over tonight and stayed all night.

Sep 25. I went by Mr. Tom Nesbitt, and Fed and I went to Vanderburg to preaching tonight, and he came on home and stayed all night with me.

Sep 28. I went up to Mr. Cartwright's to see my babies and to take them some shoes. Stopped in Statesville, but bought these shoes at Smith and Brown's in Troutman, NC. I got up to Mr. Cartwright's about five o'clock.

Sep 29. Sunday. This morning finds me at Mr. Cartwright's with my babies. Stayed there all day and all night.

Sep 30. I came home today from Mr. Cartwright's. Stopped a while in Statesville and found there was a show in town today, but I didn't take any interest in it. Mr. Cartwright and Blaine came with me, and bought a new McCormick mower and rake. It was about five o'clock when I got home. I done up my work and went over to Papa's and stayed all night.

October 31, 1912. Went to Mooresville with the cotton and sold it for $11.25 and brought my monument back to the graveyard for Bessie and Aubrey. It was night when I got home, and after I got my work done up I went over to Papa's and stayed all night.

November 2, 1912. This morning I taken the curb to the graveyard and put up Bessie's and Aubrey's monument to their graves, and after noon hauled some sand and put on them...