Tuesday Jan 31. 1865

Nancy washed, melting ice to get water her sisters Mrs. Bowman and Mrs. Deming here to dinner and went with Nancy to Mr. Burgess’s to tea & spent the night here.  Eliza also.

Monday. Jan 30. 1865

Mrs. Dawes went to town this morning with William.  Col. Dawes here to dinner transacting oil-business with William.

Nancy went to town this after noon --  Pleasant.

Sabbath Jan 29 1865

Walked to meeting -- no superintendant at Sabbath school.  Mr. G. W. Bailey is sick -- good congregation --  Coming home from meeting Mr. Curtis’ horse ran away Mr. Curtis had taken James Walton & Charles Bailey into his jumper and they all came to the ground but were none of them seriously hurt.  Yesterday James & Humphrey Petticord were bringing a sled load of wheat from Hocking when the sled upset and the horses run away.  The boys were both hurt some, & William was provoked because they let the horses run away --

Saturday -- Jan. 28 1865

Thermometer at 6^o above zero -- cold enough.  Mrs. S. C. Dawes came on the train with William & will spend the Sabbath -- I have been busy all the afternoon writing out genealogy to send to Rev Abner Morse of Boston who is publishing a book of Cutler genealogy.

Mr. E. Huntington has sent Mrs. Dawes a letter lately received from Rev E. M. Stone of Providence who has been for twenty years writing the life of our Grandfather Rev Manasseh Cutler, he now proposes to publish the work this year.

Friday Jan 27. 1865

Very cold.  William went to Marietta.  Four car loads of soldiers passed down late last night they could not get across the river and were obliged to spend the night in the cars --  Mr. Burgess was here twice.  I thought he would freeze.

Thursday Jan 26. 1865

Much heavy ice drifting in the river stopping navigation.  There is a good deal of wind & the weather is very cold.  William went to town & Col. and Major Dawes came home with him & were here to dinner--  They were talking over their oil business, options, leases, &c.  Maggie & Mrs. W. D. Bailey called.  Mrs. Bailey goes this evening to the wedding of Mary Ewart and           Pierce.

Wednesday Jan 25.” 1865

Mr. Waldron and Rev J. C. M^cCoy waited here for morning train -- cold -- thermometer only 10^o above zero.  A part of the 23^d army Corps is passing through Parkersburg on its way from Tennessee to join Sherman in South Carolina it is supposed -----  They have come by steamboat from Nashville and go by Railroad East. I think they will suffer from cold, poor fellows.  Part of the corps go via Columbus and Wheeling.  This movement has been conducted with great secrecy.  For once the Newspapers did not blab.

Maggie was here this afternoon.

William got home from Chillicothe.

Tuesday Jan 24, 1865

It has been snowing or blowing all day -- but the evergreens are still heavy with snow.  The drifting ice has stopped the steamboats for a week past.  

This is my birthday would I recall the past if I could, no, I think not --its sins and follies I may well deplore, but these I humbly hope have been blotted out in Jesus blood.  What do we live for but to gain immortality, if Christ of this free grace has given me this, it is enough, life’s great end has been accomplished --   My life may not have been what in youth I pictured it, I may have lacked the energy to shape my own destiny -- I may have thought to act myself  a worthy part instead of this passive bearing and forbearing -- Be that as it may God has ordered all things well.  My life has passed in quietness and obscurity.  I hope it will not prove to be altogether useless. 

I have written to Kate today -- and sent one of little Annie’s Memoirs to Mr. W^m Slocomb, Rochester N. Y.

Monday Jan 23 1865

The snow had disappeared from the ground and I was surprised this morning to see every tree & twig laden and the ground white with snow.  William has gone again to Chillicothe.

Sabbath Jan. 22, 1865

A misty unpleasant day.  I went in the Carriage with Sarah & Nancy to Sabbath School.  Mr. Curtis preached to the children.  Sarah had been wishing for a long time that he would do so, and enjoyed his sermon which was from Proverbs 3^d -- “Wisdom’s ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace.”

Sunday Jan 8’ 1865

I could not go to church to-day have a very bad cold & cough.

Peggy's Note:  Several pages have been removed from the original journal.  The next entry begins Jan. 22 at the top of the page.

Saturday Jan 7” 1865

Friday Jan 6” 1865

Thursday Jan 5, 1865

Mr. Walton spent yesterday with us and Mrs. Julia S. Bailey called to see him & George W. Bailey came & spent the evening with him.  John Means was also here.

This morning Mr. Walton being anxious about his family, started home -- his visit has been short, but pleasant.

Wednesday Jan 4” 1865

Tuesday Jan 3. 1865

Mr. Walton & James who went to Barlow to spend the day with Mrs. Perry got here after midnight the train being delayed.

Monday Jan. 2. 1865

My brother William left home this morning to go to Cincinnati & Cleveland.  We were all invited to Mr. Burgess’ to dinner & Mrs Cutler & Sarah, Mr. Walton & James and I went up in the sled across the meadow.  Had a nice dinner stewed chickens &c -- Mr Walton & James went to Marietta on the after noon train to arrange about James’ studies during vacation.  He being deficient in Greek.

Sabbath Jan 1” 1865

Did not feel very able to go to sabbath school & meeting, having a bad cold, but never the less, I went.  Mr. Walton declined preaching, but assisted Mr. Curtis by prayer &c -- I think he is a truly devout and good man--  Mr. Curtis came here to supper & spent the night  -- We went to meeting in the sled on the snow.

Last year was to our family a most eventful one, and it seems to me one of the saddest of my life, and yet I ought not to feel so, for God’s chastisements have been tempered with his mercy too.  January 11”, most unexpectedly to us our sweet little Annie died of diphtheria -- Jan. 18”, Lt. Col. R. R. Dawes was married to Miss Mary B. Gates by Rev Thomas Wicker  --  Feb. 16” Kate L. Dawes was married to Rev. S. A. M^cLean by Rev C. D. Curtis -- This made a great change and was a great loss to our family --  May 5” my niece Louisa Cutler Fulton died.  May 28” Major Ephraim C. Dawes was severely, at first supposed to be mortally wounded, at Dallas Ga.  April 18” little Eddie Walton died.  In August Col. R. R. Dawes was honorably discharged from the service.  In October Major E. C. Dawes was honorably discharged in consequence of his wounds--Such have been the principal events which have occurred in our family during the last year.  To our Country though involved in civil War it has been a year of progress.  Maryland & Missouri are free states by their own act.  Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Farrigut, Thomas by the blessing of God, have won great victories.