John Jay Johns Journal/1871-1874

July 24, 1871. I made a visit two weeks ago to my daughter, Mrs. Morgan, in Carroll County, Mo. Saw a rich, beautiful country. My son, Frederic, came home from college in Mass. a few days ago.

Aug. 2, 1871. This evening at six o'clock my old horse Prince died with lockjaw at the age of 24 years & six months. One of his hind feet was hurt two months ago and finally brought on the disease. He was active for his age up to the last two months, retaining his flesh well. Could go in the buggy and under the saddle very well. He was a noble family horse, gentle, true and faithful. He served my family 22 years.

Aug. 19, 1861. Bought a young sorrel horse, 3 yrs old, from A. H. Stonebraker.

Sept. 13, 1871. The Presbytery of St. Louis meets in our church this evening.

Oct. 5, 1871. Calvit Johns and Will, his brother, came very unexpectedly to see us last night from Mississippi.

Oct. 14, 1871. During the past week the great fire at Chicago has occurred, destroying more than half that great city and causing untold suffering. One of the greatest fires that ever occurred in this world.

Mar. 22, 1872. Mr. Martin and I made a trip to Portage yesterday. Stayed all night at Mr. Rhodes'. Commenced snowing in the night and continued till 11 o'clock today. It is 3 or 4 inches deep, a great thing for the wheat.

Mar. 25, 1872. Rev. Dr. Foreman spent the Sabbath with us.

Apr. 11, 1872. Fred came home from Carrollton this morning. His health is quite poor.

July 25, 1872. Beautiful day. Went with my wife and Johnnie (son) to Jacob Barron's today.

July 29, 1872. Arthur returned from Amherst College (Agricultural) in Mass. today after an absence of two years.

Sept. 14, 1872. We this day buried our little granddaughter, Nettie Gauss, aged about five months. She died at Sedalia, Mo.

Sept. 14, 1872. Fred expects to go on Monday (16th) to attend the medical lectures in St. Louis.

Sept. 20, 1872. On Monday (16th) I started with Glover and Wilson Ferguson for Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indiana. We had a pleasant trip. Reached there at 7:30 o'clock the same evening. I spent the next day there getting the boys fixed, and left next morning for home and reached here safely at 10 o'clock p.m.

Sept. 23 1872. Arthur commenced as a clerk in the wholesale dry goods house in St. Louis at $25.00 per month.

Oct. 14, 1872. On the 8th I went to the Synod at Columbia. We had a very large and interesting meeting. Columbia is a pretty place with a good deal of wealth and intelligence.

Oct. 17, 1872. Mrs. Borden, my wife's sister, and her husband and little boy, came on a visit to us from Philadelphia.

[Margaret Lindsay Durfee, married to Edward Payson Borden. The little boy would be Edward Shirley Borden, who went by the name Shirley.. SDC]

Oct. 21, 1872. Mr. Borden left for home.

Nov. 13, 1872. Weather has continued very fine. Mrs. Borden left yesterday for Philadelphia. Feb. 5, 1873. Mrs. Durfee is very sick and Mrs. Glenday is sick too.

May 12, 1873. My daughter, Lizzie Gauss, and child, arrived from Sedalia last night.

June 9, 1873. Last night at 10 o'clock we had a very heavy rainstorm. We had one very heavy clap of thunder and this morning we find that the lightning struck and shattered two large oak trees in my yard about 40 steps from the house.

July 27, 1873. Sabboth. Mr. Barron was buried today.

Sept. 10, 1873. Went to Montgomery City to a meeting of Presbytery.

Oct. 18, 1873. Went to St. Louis yesterday to the Synod and stayed all nigh with Fred.

Nov. 18, 1873. Snowing and rain, very cold. I went over to Bohomme Church.

Nov. 21, `873. Not very cold, weather pleasant. Came home from Bohomme Church today. Had a very pleasant visit at Mr. Joseph Consay's and Mr. Lucius Bates'. Rev. William Parks has been preaching for two weeks.

Dec. 6, 1873. Cloudy, sleet and rain. Fred came home last night. Mattie went to Mrs. Stacy's in St. Louis county. John Kennedy sawed a lot of wood today.

Dec. 18, 1873. I was in the country today. Never saw wheat look better at this time of the year than now.

Dec. 20, 1873. Glover came home two days from college.

Dec. 25, 1873. This is a remarkably mild winter so far. All our boys are at home with us today. Nine children with us today, a happy time.

Dec. 31, 1873. The last of 1873, weather mild.

Jan. 1, 1874. This has been a mild beautiful day. The Lord has been very gracious to us during the past year. May the Lord enable us in the year on which we have now entered to live for his Glory in all things. I have spent the day quietly at home. Most of our children with us. Arthur absent. Lizzie (Mrs. Gauss) and her two children with us today. Her boy (Eugene) now six weeks old is a large fine child, with a remarkable head of hair.

Jan. 7, 1874. Beautiful, mild weather. Glover left this evening for Wabash College. He is now about 18 and taller than any of the boys. He is now in the Freshman class.

Jan. 19, 1874. John Gibson spent the Sabbath (yesterday) in St. Charles with Robert Hudson and with us. Robert Hudson was married tonight to Miss Julia Clark of St. Louis.