Saturday Dec. 31 1864

We have our New Years’ feast to day.  Lucy, Col. Dawes & wife, Mr. Walton & James, Mr & Mrs. Burgess, Maggie Voris & Lizzie Poage, James & John Means were here to dinner and our own family consisting now of Mr & Mrs W. P. Cutler, their only child Sarah Julia, myself, and Nancy Carlin, John Kunz and Humphrey Peddicord.  The turkey was very nicely cooked also the vegetables, the canned strawberries were delicious.  Col. Dawes & wife & Lucy went home on the after noon train.  Quite a heavy snow last night -- 6 or 7 inches deep.  

Friday Dec. 30. 1864

A light fall of snow last night.  I did not sleep much -- which I attributed to a cup of strong tea which I took at supper.

Mr. Walton, James’ father, came on the evening train.  He left Pana a week ago Thursday & has been visiting his brothers & sisters.  It was a very pleasant meeting between James & his father who is I think a truly good man.  Lucy came with William from town.

Thursday Dec. 29 1864

Miss Nye left us about two o’clock P. M.  She went from here to the grave yard to visit Henry’s grave.  James Walton went with her as far as the Gravel Bank.  She went to Marietta on the afternoon train.

The weather is becoming cold again.  We are expecting Mr. Walton every boat.

Peggy’s comment:

Miss Nye was engaged to be married to Henry Dawes (Julia’s nephew), the oldest son of Sarah Cutler Dawes and Henry Dawes.  Young Henry died at the age of 28 in 1860.

Wednesday Dec. 28. 1864

Mr. Burgess was here a long time this forenoon and was about as amiable as a grizzley bear.  I read to him until I was hoarse.

William came home on the accommodation train having spent last night at Marietta, having business to arrange with some New York men.

Miss Mary Nye is spending the day with us, she takes a great deal of interest in Sarah.

Tuesday Dec. 27. 1864

This is the 80” birth day of Rev. Dyer Burgess, and is celebrated by a turkey dinner.  Mrs. Cutler, & little Sarah went up early and Mrs. S. C. Dawes, Col. Dawes & lady, Miss Mary C. Nye, Bettie Gates, Lizzie Andrews & Mary Smith came down on the Accommodation train.  I did not go  -- am still feeling far from well --

Sherman has possession of Savannah without a battle and has captured a large amount of cotton it is said several million dollars worth also guns & ammunition.  Hardee withdrew in the night with his men.  Sherman telegraphs the President that he gives the Nation Savannah as a Christmas present--

Miss Nancy C. Nye came home in the carriage with Mrs. Cutler & little Sarah from Mr. Burgess’ to make us a visit.

Monday Dec 26. 1864

Still unwell with no appetite.  James Means called, had been over after Mrs. Terril to help Mrs. Burgess, thinks it horribly muddy.

William went to Chillicothe on Railroad business.  James Walton came down on the evening train, expecting his father would arrive to-night, but was disappointed.

Sabbath Dec 25” 1864

Got up sick -- think I had a chill last night -- took rhubarb and returned to bed -- sick all day -- vomited bile.

The sun shone pleasantly and all the family went to meeting -- I have hardly realized that this is Christmas day.

Saturday Dec 24” 1864

Maggie Voris & Lizzie Poage are here spending the day.  Mrs. Dawes also was here to dinner, but went home on the afternoon train.  Sarah is enjoying Christmas in advance.  She has recieved several presents of books, and has herself braided four pretty toilette cushions, which she today distributed to her Grandma, Maggie, Lucy & I.

About four o’clock in the afternoon our lard & fresh meat was sent home, as tomorrow is Sabbath we were obliged to take care of the lard, & make the sausage meat of three hogs, tonight it was eleven o’clock before we got through, and though Nancy did all she could, I was very tired.

Friday Dec 23. 1864

Sherman & his army have performed successfully the March from Atlanta to the Sea coast and are now investing Savannah, which is held by Gen. Hardee with from 15,000 to 20,999 rebel troops --

Thursday Dec 22. 1864

No circle this week.

The President has issued his proclamation calling for 300,000 more volunteers to serve one, two, or three years.  I hope & believe that this will furnish men enough to put down the rebellion.     Hon. W. L. Dayton ambassador to France died of apoplexy at Paris on the 1” of December.

Wednesday Dec. 21 1864

The river does not fall, but the cold prevents its rising, it is over the bridge be-low here, but we shall have no trouble from it this time.  Lizzie & William came home.

Tuesday Dec. 20. 1864

Mrs Cutler went to Marietta & will stay until tomorrow.

William placed in my hands to-day three certificates of 100 shares each, of stock in the New York Gold Mining Company, Colorado.  One for Mrs. S. C. Dawes, one for Mrs. C. W. C. Walton, & one for myself on certain conditions -- It is kind of him to do this and if God please, may be a blessing to us.        He went to town, & will stay all night with Mrs. Cutler at Mrs. Dawes.

Yesterday’s paper has very interesting War News.  Gen. Thomas has defeated the rebel Hood in two hard fought battles near Nashville Tenn.  The engagements took place Thursday & Friday Dec. 15” & 16” -- last week--  The rebel loss in prisoners, killed, wounded, & by desertion is estimated at 20,000, our own loss 3,000 of whom very few were killed, the worst of them being slightly wounded.  Hood is retreating pursued by Union forces.

Sherman has performed his undertaking of marching his army from Atlanta to Savannah subsisting upon the Country and has invested the latter city -- Dahlgren of the Navy co-operating with him ----

Monday Dec 19 1864

Rainy.  River rising so fast that it seems likely to overflow its banks, our hands are busy with teams removing corn &c from low grounds.

The water rises about six inches per hour.  Toward night it became cooler, with indications of a freeze which will check the rise--

Sabbath Dec 18 1864

Muddy -- walked to sabbath school -- Rev. L. C. Ford preached from “I am ready to be offered, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith” &c.  It was nearly dark when we got home.  A subscription was circulated, (privately) to pay Miss Louisa Carpenter for playing the Melodeon in church.  So warm that they opened the church doors.

Saturday Dec 17. 1864

Nancy went home.

Friday Dec. 16. 1864.

A very rainy day.  William came home on the evening train from Chillicothe, also Lizzie Poage who was just returning from College Hill where she has been at school.

William says that Mr. Brookover, a New York Capitalist who has been buying oil lands of Rufus, told him that “he never met a man who delighted him more than Col. Dawes--”

Thursday Dec. 15 1864

William went on the Morning train to Chillicothe on Railroad business.  Some trouble with the contractors on the extension from Loveland to Cincinnati.  

The ground is covered with ice, it is sleeting.

Circle meets at Mrs A. S. Baileys -- The woods are in such a condition we conclude to stay at home.

Wednesday Dec. 14 1864

Mrs. Dawes went home this morning.  It rained last night and the snow goes off rapidly.

Mrs. Terril is here washing.  I wrote to Annie Dean.

Tuesday Dec. 13 1864

William went to town to-day and Sarah came home with him on the Accommodation train.  They have had a late letter from Kate, Maria the colored woman who was with her when Lucy & I was there, was taken sick the day after we left and is dead.  The neighbors were afraid to come in thinking the disease was contagious.  So Kate took care of her night and day.  I fear that she will be the next victim.               

Mr. L. Wilson writes to William he has bought him stock in the N. Y. and Gunn gold mines, Colorado.

Monday Dec. 12, 1864

Sarah coughed hard last night.  Nancy suffering from catarrh was also in my room all night.  Thermometer at 12^o above zero this morning and ice running in the river.  Mailed Annie’s Memoir to Clara, Polly, Nancy and Daniel.

Peggy's note:

Sarah is the eight year old daughter of William and Lizzie Cutler.  Her sister Annie died in January 1864 and Julia had prepared a small leather bound memorial book.  

Sabbath Dec 11 1864

Ground covered with snow.  William & I went to meeting.  Small congregation.

Saturday Dec. 10. 1864

William went to Marietta on Oil business.  He has here to fore kept aloof from oil speculation but Pomeroy Wells and some others have sought his co-operation--he has considerable land of his own, to lease, or sell as he may choose and he feels that it may be an opportunity which he would do wrong to neglect to make money with which much good may be done.

Friday Dec 9. 1864

Maggie Voris here to dinner & Nancy went to Mr Burgess‘           a very cold wind from the North.

Thursday Dec. 8. 1864

Circle at Mrs Harts.  Mrs. Cutler & I went.  Pleasant meeting and a nice supper.

George Cutter here.  His parents have heard from Lewis who is a prisoner of war in Texas.  He was well.

Wednesday Dec. 7. 1864

Mrs. Cutler went to Marietta with Maggie and staid all day, very rainy, came home on the evening train also William from Amesville.

Wrote to Clara.

Tuesday Dec. 6. 1864

William went on the train to Amesville.

Monday Dec 5 1864

William went to Marietta and Major Dawes and Mr. Wilson of New York came home with him & staid to dinner.  I wrote to brother D. C. Cutler of Kansas.

Peggy's note:

Daniel Converse Cutler was Julia's half-brother, the son of their father Ephraim Cutler and his first wife, Leah Atwood.  He was born in Ohio in 1799.  When Leah died, Daniel was sent to live with his grandfather, Manasseh Cutler.  He later returned to Ohio and farmed there until 1857 when he sold his farm and moved to Kansas.

Sabbath Dec 4” 1864

Went to Sabbath school & meeting.

Saturday Dec. 3” 1864

William went to town, & Mrs. Cutler spent the after noon at her mothers.

Friday Dec 2” 1864

Sent a letter to Kate enclosing $50 from William.  We had Miss Mary Ainsworth, Miss Waldron, Mrs. M^cGill & Maggie and Mrs. Anna B. Reppert here to spend the afternoon & take tea.

Thursday Dec. 1. 1864

Pleasant day.  Lucy went home on the afternoon train & Mrs. Cutler, I and little Sarah went to Mr. W. D. M^cClures to meeting of circle.