The end of the Civil War Journal of Julia P. Cutler

This blog began over four years ago as a tribute to Julia Cutler and as a way to share her remarkable journal written 150 years ago.  She wrote almost every day throughout the Civil War, sharing news of the war, family news, and her own day-to-day activities.  After I read the journal,  my admiration for  Julia was so great that I wanted to share her words with Dawes/Cutler descendants and with anyone else who had an interest in the history of the time.  She was a strong and capable woman, a keen observer, steady and slow to panic, and devoted to her family.  She suffered her share of loss and sadness, but she also took delight in her garden, her writing and her family.  She seldom seemed discouraged and her personal faith remained strong.  I think she knew she was writing for posterity:  she nearly always included first and last names of people in her journal.  For the most part, she kept negative opinions to herself or she was very tactful about them (although she had no love for "traitors" to the Union).

 Julia Cutler continued to write in her journal sporadically until August 1865.  The entries stop but resume in the same book in January 1869.  In her later life, she helped publish the papers of her grandfather Manasseh Cutler, her father Ephraim Cutler, and her brother William P. Cutler.  Julia never married, but always was involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews.  Julia lived to the age of 90, spending her remaining years in a house near her nephew Rufus R. Dawes and his wife Mary in Marietta, Ohio.  

I have very much enjoyed posting Julia Cutler's journal entries to this blog.  I have learned a good deal about the Civil War, the impact of the war on families, and a woman's perspective on the times.  Because we know how the Civil War ended, we sometimes forget the uncertainty that contemporary people felt.  I found particularly moving the account of the celebration at the end of the war which was followed by feelings of devastation upon hearing of Lincoln's assassination.  Those were hard times, important times and they are worth remembering.

I have updated the "People" tab at the top of this page so you can learn a little bit about what happened in the lives of the Cutler/Dawes family after 1865.  I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Now that I have posted all the remaining entries for 1865, I expect this to be my last post to this blog.  Thanks for reading!  And thanks to Julia for writing all those years ago.

Peggy Dempsey

Julia P. Cutler

Julia Cutler, her niece Sarah Julia Cutler, and Sarah's mother, Lizzie Voris Cutler

Journal entries for August 1865

Aug. 1 1865 Tuesday

We feel almost tired out, & glad to rest a little from our large family.  Ella Blackside here to spend the after noon with Sarah —

Aug. 2^d 1865 Wednesday

Mrs. Burgess here to spend her morning day.  Mrs. Blackinton and Alice called — James went off on horse back and did not come home till we were abed.

Aug. 3^d. 1865 Thursday

James sick — Mrs Dawes here to dinner.

Aug 4”. 1865 Friday

Lucy here & talked to James.

Aug 5 1865 Saturday

Had a long talk with James —

Fred Cutter came to spend the Sabbath William came home & brought a box of peaches from Loveland

Aug 6” 1865 Sabbath

Rainy.  Rev. Dr. Hartshorn the Bible Agent preached but not on the subject of his agency —  Our Church & Township have contributed $162 for the Bible cause this year, Small congregation.

Aug. 7. 1865 Monday

James went to Barlow.  Nancy washed — & got dinner.  Col. Dawes walked down from town to see William.  Two oil men stopped to stay all night — Put up two cans of peaches

Aug 8” 1865 Thursday.  Oil men staid to breakfast appeared surprised that we charged them nothing — — Rev Mr. James here to dinner —  I wrote a long letter to Kate — James came home from Barlow —  Sarah Perry with him.

Aug. 9”. 1865 Wednesday

Rev Mr Perry, Sarah’s father came on 11 o’clock train and will stay untill tomorrow morning — The two Sarahs spend the afternoon & took tea with Lucy Bailey.  Mrs Bailey sent for me to come & visit with Mrs. Greenwood — could not go.

Aug 10. 1865 Thursday

Mr. Perry left after breakfast I had Mrs. Bailey, Mrs Wickes, and the children here to tea —

Aug 11. 1865 Friday

Lucy came and took her box of canned fruit to town —

Aug 12 1865 Saturday

Nancy went home to attend quarterly meeting.

Sabbath Aug. 13. 1865

Mr. Curtis preached — a full congregation — Mrs Burgess sick — William little Sarah & I went up to see her toward evening —

Monday Aug 1”. 1865

Mrs. Terril washed, & Nancy came home — William went to town — Nancy took Sarah up to see her grandma & William went up & brought her home about sunset — Mr. B. C. Bailey, Col. Moore, called — also Mr. Wyatt and Col Fuller the latter staid all night —

Tuesday Aug. 15. 1865

Wrote to Kate.  William gone to Chillicothe.

Wednesday Aug. 16” 1865

Thursday Aug. 17. “ 1865

Lucy here.  Sarah is not well.  Went to see Mrs Burgess

Friday Aug. 18.”  1865

Wrote to Lizzie.  Lucy & Sarah still unwell.

Saturday. Aug. 19” 1865

Sarah had a hard chill last night, followed by fever which continues to-day.

William came home.

Sabbath Aug. 20” 1865

Sarah sick, staid at home with her — Rev. Andrews preached —   Mr. Lacy buried.

Monday Aug 21. 1865

William telegraphed to Mrs. Cutler to come home — Betsey Bailey & Mrs Dickey called  

Sarah better —

Tuesday Aug 22 1865

William went to Zaleski — Lucy came and took Sarah to town.

Wednesday Aug 23 1865 —

Journal entries for July 1865

[Blank page in the journal and then it resumes on July 5, 1865]

July 5”, 1865. Wednesday

Still very hot.  Annie Dean & Miss Brawley went on the train to town, and Mrs. M^cLean to Cincinnati.  There are eight men in the hay-field, all with good appetites demanding an abundant supply of eatables.  I helped Nancy all day in the kitchen & am very tired — A thunderstorm in the afternoon — Mrs. W. D. Bailey called —

July 6” Thursday — 

Col. Dawes came from Marietta & brought Sarah home.  The celebration on Harmar hill, was not what it was intended to be.  None of the Speakers who were invited came.  Rev. Mr. Wickes gave them an impromptu address, in which he took occasion to say things very laudatory of William’s course as a public man.

The Copperhead celebration at the Tunnel, broke up in a row.  Mrs. Terril has been here ironing.  Day very warm.  Thermometer at 108^o.  Miss Brawley & Annie Dean came from town, and we went to Mr. W. D. Bailey’s where we had been invited to spend the evening  & partake of ice cream & cake.  The refreshments were served under a grapevine bower, lighted by lamps and was very pleasant.

July 7” 1865 Friday

Very busy all day, a large family.  Nancy canning blackberries.  I am obliged to help in the kitchen & can devote little time to my guests.  I gave them Gail Hamiltons “Gala Days” and “New Atmosphere” to read.      Sarah took a music lesson from Lizzie Poage, and recieved a letter to-day from her mother written at Wheeling.  It has been excessively hot, thermometer at 110^o — Miss Brawley & Annie about sunset concluded to call upon Mrs. Dickey & Mrs. B. C. Bailey & of course wanted me to go with them.  I was very tired with the labors of the day & felt almost as if I could not walk three miles to gratify them, but I did!  —  The walk home was by moonlight.

The assassins of President Lincoln who were accessories were hung to-day.

July 8”. 1865. Saturday

Twelve years ago to-day, my dear father died.  Brother William gave Annie forty dollars for her Mother.  She & Miss Brawley took the spy-glass and went to the Pine-point hill, to enjoy the view, & the morning air.  In the afternoon they called on Mrs. W. D. Bailey and went to town on the evening train to spend the sabbath.  Gen. R. R. Dawes was here to dinner.      Tommy Wickes came and staid all night with James P Walton.  Heavy thunder storm.

Sabbath.  July 9” 1865

Sarah, Nancy, & I went to meeting.  I asked my sabbath school class to come and see Sarah Tuesday.

Monday July 10” 1865

Lucy Dawes, Miss Maria Brawley, & Miss Annie Dean came from town on the 10” clock train.  I invited Mrs. Burgess & Lizzie Poage, Emeline M^cClure, and Mrs. W. D. Bailey & Nettie here to take tea.  Only Mrs. W. D. Bailey and Lizzie Poage came — Mrs. Terril washed.

Tuesday July 11” 1865

This morning William started to Chillicothe to attend to railroad business.  I wish he could be at home through harvest, it is very unpleasant to have him gone in harvest tine, when there are so many hands employed, it requires a master to keep all straight.  Misses Brawley & Dean returned to their home in Amesville to-day.  Lucy staid and helped me get ready for Sarah’s company.  We had a beautiful entertainment, cakes, candies, raisons, almonds, canned peaches, ripe whortleberries, lemonade beside the more substantial viands.  It proved to be a very rainy afternoon, and only Lucy, Ella & Nettie Bailey, and Ida Colder who came on the cars, were here.

Wednesday July 12. 1865

Lucy is here today making blackberry jam.  I recieved a letter from Mrs. Cutler to-day written from Buffalo.

Thursday July 13" 1865

Lucy went home — Mrs Terril ironed.  Miss O’Harra here to dinner.  I took Sara up and left her to spend the day with her Grand-Mother.  A Mr. West here for money to help buy him a cow.  I gave him a dollar.

Friday July 14” 1865

Good weather for harvesting again, so we have a table full of hands.  Sarah wrote a letter to her Mama.  I sat up late writing for William who came on the train which was delayed.

Saturday July 15”. 1865

We had eleven men here to diner -- also Col. Dawes.

[Another blank half page]

July 30.” 1865  Sabbath

Mr. Curtis preached full congregation — Tender off the track kept minister & people waiting till sunset — Broderick engineer.

July 31”. 1865

Wrote to Kate.  William took his 4” of July speech up to Marietta to be printed — Mrs Terril washed   finished haying — Two oil men here to stay all night —

Journal entries for the remainder of June 1865

Peggy's note:
Julia continued to write in the journal sporadically through mid-August.  Today I am publishing all of the remaining entries for June, tomorrow I will post the July entries, and Wednesday I will post the August entries along with some of my thoughts as the journal comes to an end.

Thursday. June. 15—” 1865

The men finished sheep shearing to day —

Friday June 16” 1865

The family is again reduced to the ordinary number.

Saturday June 17” 1865

Mrs. Dawes came on the evening train.  James P. Walton is here, a hot day —

Sabbath. June 18” 1865

“David returned to bless his household” was the text today.  The sermon inculcated the duty of Family Prayer.  In talking with William about the state of the World & the present aspect of things — a religious war &c — he says he almost shudders as he looks to the future.

Monday June 19” 1865

The 6” Wisconsin regiment ordered I think to Louisville is at Parkersburg to-day — This is the Regiment with which Rufus fought through the War & of which he was Colonel — He & Major E. C. Dawes went down to Parkersburg to see them — The men recieved Rufus with loud acclamations of joy.

Tuesday June 20. 1865

Col. Rufus R. Dawes & Dr. Hall, surgeon of the 6” Wisconsin were here to dinner — Dr. Hall is tall and good looking — & appears to be intelligent and gentlemanly.

The Rev. D. C. Perry of Barlow is here to spend the night.  Mr. Perry is a nervous, feeble looking man, but is a fine scholar, having improved his opportunities for superior mental culture.

Wednesday, June 21. 1865

Mrs. Burgess is here to spend the day.  Lucy Dawes was here to dinner with little Ida Smith, the daughter of Mr. Hayden Smith, the gentleman who came with Ephraim C. Dawes from Dallas to Nashville at the time he was so desperately wounded —

I wrote to Kate who is homesick and longs for letters.

Thursday June 22 1865

William attended court at Marietta.  The O’Neal case on its Second trial — O’Neal claims damages of the M. & C. R. R. to the amount of several thousand dollars, because the track is laid along the beach in front of his premises — The verdict gave him $210—

Betsey Bailey came to see the garden — I gave her a handsome boquet of flowers — Mrs. Cutler and Sarah are at Mrs. Burgess’s to tea — Nettie Bailey who has been sick but is now convalescent, took tea here—

Friday. June 23. 1865

Lizzie Poage here.  Mrs. Butler brought us a turkey & staid to dinner after which she departed with the usual load of eatables and wearables — Mrs. Cutler took Sarah to town to attend Mr. Seigfrieds Musical Concert —

Saturday. June 24” 1865

Nancy Carlin “our help” went home on the morning train, to be gone three days.  I made pies, bread &c. for the Sabbath — Mrs. Cutler & Sarah came home on the 11.o’clk train — They enjoyed the concert very much — James P. Walton came with them.  He & Mr. Limley Wilcox will be here until Monday —

Sabbath, June 25, 1865

Sarah & I went to Sabbath school about 50 scholars present.  Rev. Prof. Blair preached from the text “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”

Monday, June 26” 1865

William off to Chillicothe again — He can only spend the Sabbath at home as a general thing —      Lucy Bailey and Sarah began to recite their lessons to me again today — Nancy came on the evening train —

Tuesday,. June 27 1865

Nancy is washing today, and we have the work to do — I fear I have “no vocation” for kitchen work —

Wednesday, June. 28. 1865

Mrs. Cutler and Sarah spent the day at Mr. Burgesses —  —  Ironing done at home.  We are very busy getting Mrs Cutler ready for a trip for her health — Her health has been poor for a long time, so has Kate’s  — who since her marriage has lived at West Alexander Pa  —  With the hope that they may be benefitted by a change of air and scenes, William proposes to send them under the care of Major E. C. Dawes to Canada & New England during the summer months.  Maggie Voris is going with them.  They expect to commence their journey next week.

[Blank page in the journal and then it resumes on July 5, 1865]

Wednesday. June 14”. 1865

It rained last night.

Tuesday. June. 13”. 1865

Lucy Dawes here to dinner.  I wrote to Kate.

Monday — June 12” 1865

William went to Chillicothe as usual for Railroad business — Col. and Major Dawes were here to dinner —

Sabbath, June 11” 1865

Mr. Curtis preached to a full house, Collection for the American Bible Society taken up & amounted to 147 dollars—

Saturday. June 10” 1865

A very rainy day.  Lizzie Poage came home to day from school at College Hill, in Cincinnati —

Friday, June 9” 1865

The Sheep Shearers here all day — doing nothing, the sheep being too wet from yesterdays rain to shear — Mrs. Cutler & Sarah spent the day at Mrs Burgess’ and Sarah staid all night —

Thursday. June 8” 1865

Very hot — Sabbath School picnic — Shower in the afternoon — Rufus, Mrs. Dawes & Bettie here.

June 7” 1865. Wednesday

Our folks began Sheep-shearing which makes for the tie, a large family — Lucy Dawes & Jennie Stone came on the evening train.

Tuesday June 6” 1865

Martha Colville who sews for Mrs. Cutler, returned this evening from Mrs. Flemings.

Monday. June 5”. 1865

Mrs. Cutler, Maggie Voris, & Sarah went to town.  I wrote to Clara W. C. Walton —

Sabbath June 4th 1865

As our carriage was driven away from the church it struck against a wheel of Mr. Joel Demings buggy & demolished it.

Saturday June 3d 1865

William went to town and then to Belpre.  Lucy is here canning strawberries, she put up six cans and went home in the afternoon.  James Walton, and Charles S. Perry (who graduates the last of this month at Marietta College,) and Mr. Summers (the son of an old college friend of Williams’ viz Hon. George Summers of West Virginia) — were here to dinner.

Friday June 2. 1865

Lucy & Bettie Gates here.  There is a show of animals & a circus in town to which the Country people flock in crowds.  Lucy took Bettie home & returned.

June 1st 1865 Thursday

This day has been set apart by President Johnson, & Gov. Brough as a day of fasting and prayer on account of the death of President Lincoln.  We went with Mr. Dean & family to the village and heard a sermon from Mr. Wolf of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  We expected to go to the Station from the Church & so home by the evening train.  Mrs. Lewis however very kindly insisted upon our stopping at her house for some refreshments.  We there met Mr & Mrs Souder & there we bade good bye to sister Polly & Annie — Mr. Dean took us to New England — after waiting more than an hour, the train came and we were glad to speed our way homeward — at Scotts Landing Mrs. Dawes took the train for Marietta & I arrived at home just at early candle lighting — after supper, but had tea and the nicest of strawberries —