1889 Handwritten Diary George R Wheeler West VA Johnstown Flood Colorado Trip

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1889 Handwritten Diary George R Wheeler West VA Johnstown Flood Colorado Trip:
$61.00

Welcome to Sally\'s Diaries:

First off I am so sorry to all of you that were watching and offerding on this sale the first time it was up. pulled the sale because I violated their \'s listing policies.

More researchneeds to be done concerning this diary but it’s really quite special andcontains some amazing family memories and history. The diary is published in1889 and that’s when our author “Bert” began his entries. I believe his fullname is “George Ro”bert” Wheeler. He was only 10 years old and he startswriting on January 1st and his entries are steady all the waythrough to April 2nd. It’s then that the family is preparing a tripto Coloradoleaving on April 23rd. After the 2nd of April there are26 days of writing which end on June 6th and most of those have todo with their time in Colorado.Then right after that the entries skip ahead to 1927. I believe Bert is stillwriting and this time it’s all about his son, George Robert Wheeler Jr. who wasat the time just 3 years old. This section of the diary, which consists of 42full handwritten pages, records the precious stories of George Jr. and hisactivities, sayings and memories. Those last through July 17th ofthe diary pages. Then the pages are blank and now skip ahead to October 27thwhere you’ll find 15 pages of miscellaneous notes, mostly expense notes. Thenfinally some other expenses written in the back.

Here’s what Idiscovered (I think) about our family. I believe this is the diary of GeorgeRobert Wheeler Sr. who married Pearl V. Bryant. Of course “Bert” is only 10when the diary commences. Then he and Pearlhave their first child, “Bert” Jr. and that’s when the second part of the diarystarts. There were two town names mentioned in this diary; Charlestonand Independence, both of which are in West Virginia. TheWheeler family I mention above that I found on the web said they were from West Virginia. If it isthe same George and Pearlthat I found on the web, a very sad thing happened. Bert Jr. only lived to be 5years old, dying in 1929, which makes these incredible entries written by hisfather that much more precious.

I’ve quoted fromboth sections of the diary. Bert’s diary from when he was 10 years old is socharming and his time spent in Coloradoalso interesting. He also mentions the terrible Jonstown flood of 1889. Hereare a few excerpts from each section…..

1889

“January 1st, Iam today happy. I found a gold ring and this book on my xmas tree. I wascalling on Linnie today at Dr. Weinich’s and went up to see Doonie and Charlie.I started my steam engine for Fred. Aunt Mary and her family and Aunt Sue andher family came up tonight. We had a gay time. Played Old Maid. Dear Uncle Jimwas laid to rest Sunday December 30th, 1888. It was a sad xmas forus. Poor boy.”

“January 14th,got up in good humor this morning. I went down to papa’s store and a pair scler (He’sa bit illiterate with his writing. Does he mean picture?) fell down on me and the hook cut my head. Dr. Warrick dressed it.”

“January 22nd,I got up in a good humor this morning. Went down to papa’s store. Went up toAunt Sue today. I am writing a novel. Doonie and Charlie and I had a supper. Aman was cutting up meat today.”

“February 28th,I got up in a good humor this morning. Went down to papa’s store today. Papaand Sallie and General Duval and mama played euchre this evening and papa andSallie won the games and beat them for the first time this winter.”

“March 5th, Igot up in good humor this morning. I went down to papa’s paper store today. Iwent up in a good humor this morning. Nettie and Willie got Uncle Jim’s picturetoday and it is very good. John Campbell is staying with us now while court isin session.”

“April 4th, Igot up in a good humor this morning. I went down to Aunt Mary’s. Went up toAunt Sue’s. We commenced to clean house today but had to run to beat papa tobed and says mama finish this and then the old cry, “First man in bed.” What ahappy little fellow he is, bless him. He says, I bought a pigeon shooter fromFred. Went down to papa’s store.”

“April 23rd,I got up in a good humor this morning. I started for Colorado Springs today. We arrived at________________.” (The rest is erased and you can make out alittle.)

“April 24th, Arrivedin Chicago at7:30. Took breakfast at Palmer House. Visited Lincoln Park. The animals in the zoo werefine and the monuments and fountains beautiful. Walks and seats giving a viewof Lake Michigan were grand.”

“April 25th, Igot up in a good humor this morning. We arrived at Omaha 10:30 A.M. Took dinner at PaxtonHouse.” (They arrive in Denver thenext day and stayed at the Union Hotel then finally arrive in Colorado Springs on the 27th.)

“May 13th, Took atrip to Manitou and out the Canyon to the Rainbow Falls.Had a grand time. Visited the Garden of the Gods and Glen Eyrie at GeneralPalmer’s residence.”

“May 31st, Theterrible news of the Johnstownhorrible flood happened last night. Oh to think of the thousands of mourningpeople. The desolate waste that was once a beautiful and busy city. The Colorado Springs peopleare now raising funds to relieve the suffering and have eight hundred dollarscontributed.”

“June 5th, (I think his mother or fatherhas taken over the writing from here). Wecame to Stanley’stoday and are fixed very comfortably and feel at home. Bert had a nice partyfor his birthday and had it in a tent in the yard. Left Mrs. Allen’s thisafternoon. Colorado Springs.Bert got a cut little cane. Mrs. Stanley gave him with deer horn handle. He hasit yet. August 1927.”

“June 6th, End ofBert’s diary for 1889.”

(Now to the 2nd section. I only quoted from a fewof the pages and scanned several more to give you a better idea)

1927

“August: GeorgeRobert Wheeler Junior; some of his funny and cute remarks and sayings and somevery serious and gets one to thinking whata great responsibility we all have to help mould and fashion such analmost abnormally intelligent child; he will never be mediocre. He will beeasily led and influenced by love alone and never by force, for he isaffectionate to a remarkable degree and loves to be nursed and petted andcalled, “Little Sweetheart” my name for him. May God guide and guard us all ingiving him needed reproofs and corrections so that they may be a blessing tohim as long as he lives and may God give us patience to direct him in everyreproof and correction we may have to give him……” (Onemore full page on this subject. Then is when his/her example “stories” startconcerning her George Jr., stories such as….)

“On arecent trip to Deland (George Jr. and his mother and the family) George hadsome sand in his shoes and took them off while in the auto and mischievouslyshook some of the sand out of his shoe down his mother’s back. She bade him toquit the performance right away and she said “If you throw any more sand downmy back I will not let you have any dinner at the cafeteria.” Well he proceededto shake a little more sand, more in a spirit of fun than anything else andwhen they went to dinner he went with them and after they had all returned tothe auto, he said, “Mother, you told me I couldn’t have any dinner if I threwany more sand and I did and I’ve had my dinner.” Now see how quick he was tosum up the case and how little threat influenced him and how quick he was toreport it but not until he had had is dinner……”

His entries abouthis son are really so beautiful but heart wrenching especially if this isGeorge Jr. who lived only a few years after these entries were written.Definitely more research needs to be done and there are plenty more clues inthis diary for you to help with that.

The diary is inrough shape as the cover is all torn up and falling away from the binding.Pages are still attached and look clean. It measures about 3”x 4 ¾”.