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Excerpts from the Diaries of Guy Ellis Sabin
Naperville, Illinois, 1871-1874
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Naperville, Illinois
1871
Wednesday, May 24: Pres. said there would be a concert in the college chapel tomorrow night. I immediately engaged a partner, just the one I wanted. I played croquet until dark. Saturday, June 3: Finished shearing this afternoon at 3 o’clock. I sheared one sheep. Drew our wool up to Sleights’ wool house.
Monday, June 19: Sent a letter to B.C. Cook asking him if I could get an appointment to West Point, one also to Fred.
Tuesday, August 1, 1871: Went down to the barbers’ at noon. Got my hair cut, also got shaved. It is the first time a razor has been on my face.
Tuesday, August 8: The Naperville BB club beat the Auroras by a score of 40 to 39.
Tuesday, August 29: Started for DeKalb in the rain. Bought our supper at Shabbone. Cooked our supper in the woods, some pigeons. Slept in a corn crib all night.
Tuesday, Sept. 5: The One Hundred Fiftieth Regiment held their annual reunion here today. Were as many folks in town as on the Fourth.
Monday, Oct. 9, 9:00 p.m.: They got a dispatch that a fire had been raging in Chicago since last night, at 9 o’clock. Reports at dark said it was almost all burnt down, and the fire was still going. The light of the fire can be seen from here.
Tuesday, Oct. 10: Went in to Chicago at 8:20. Was no school. The Pres. and Professors all went. Most of the city lays in ruins. Amos got a horse and buggy at Salisbury and Mark Castle, Amos and I rode over the ruins. They think it was set afire.
Wednesday, October 11, 1871, 9:45: Father went in to Chicago at 7. Came home at 6. Mary Rogers came with him. The fire is nearly all put out.
Friday, October 13: Father and Gates went up to Shaws to see the trot between Rickert’s horse and Compton’s.
Friday, November 10: Mark Castle wanted me to go down to Green’s in the evening; he said they were going to have a dance and good time all around. I told him I would go. We went there from here with a load consisting of Hattie Green, Ida Richmond and others. Had a first rate time dancing.
Tuesday, December 26: Amos got home on the 6 o’clock train. We went to a “Christmas Tree” at the Congregational Church. Came home with Mary and Hattie Peasley.
1872
Tuesday, August 13: Ballou came up and began the carriage house. The folks heard about the County Seat today. The case was decided in favor of Naperville, Ill. they had a big time.Tuesday, August 20: I went over to help Hess thresh. Never worked so hard before. I sweat my shirt and pants through all over. There was no wind where we worked and the sun was awful hot. I was sick at supper. When I got home I was all “played out”. Could not hear myself talk. Full of dust. I don’t thresh again.
Tuesday, October 1, 1872: Father commenced husking corn today. Higgins had a speech in Chapel. He electioneered for Grant.
Wednesday, October 23: Another political speech. Pres. said he did not want any more on such subjects.
Tuesday, December 10: Received my catalogue of Yale College. We began taking grammer lessons in German today.
Tuesday, December 24: The thermometer was at -28 degrees early this morning. Started for West Lyons about 1:00 p.m. They had a Christmas tree. Among my presents was a pair of slippers, a scarf, a handkerchief. Had some oysters before we went to bed at 2:15 a.m. Danced after we had stripped the tree of presents.
Thursday, December 26: West Lyons. We hitched up and took Mary and Ida to Hinsdale to spend the day. Went after them at 4:30 p.m. Stopped at Hannah’s and ate supper. We had two bells hitched on the ponies; one was a dinner bell, the other was a large cow bell on which was painted in large letters “Mrs. O’Leary’s Concert”.
Tuesday, December 31: Had a sleigh ride this evening. Load consisted of the following: Rose Cody, Irene Murray, Hattie Peasley, Victoria Witmer, Ida Dudley, Mary Sabin, Fred Babcock, Jim Hunt, Peter LaClair, and myself. Went over to Aurora. Filled up the pockets with candy. Got home at half past 11 p.m. Mary, Fred and I went to the Dutch church after that. Heard some hollering but nothing compared with last year’s. Went to bed about 1:00 a.m., 1873.
1873
Thursday, January 30: Mary was called up before the “faculty” today for going to a dance last week. They sent away Hattie Peasley. Prof. Heidner came up this p.m. to see the folks. The Faculty is thinking of expelling her. Mary Colt Sabin Wednesday, February 5: Pres. read a new rule in chapel. They allow no dancing and have not backed down as we supposed.
Friday, March 14: I have another sister born last night. Weighs 9 pounds. Think of calling her Daisy.
Tuesday, April 1, 1873: I was fooled twice today. Once by Belle Blair who called me out of the recitation for nothing, and once by Grandma Ellis.
April 28-May 2: Mr. Cody came up to have Father sign the “Deed”. Stenger paid Father part of his money and got a deed. They have commenced work in the east field, setting out trees and surveying it into blocks and streets.
Thursday, May 8: Got up at 4:20 this a.m. Pres. Smith gave out the notes for a lecture tomorrow evening. So I began to look for a partner as I want to go. Miss Sevier suited me very well but I was afraid that some one had got ahead of me, as I had no chance until 10:30. Lost all opportunity, but as I was coming up from town today I met her and with the thought that “Faint heart never won fair lady” asked her to go.
Tuesday, June 3, 1873: We did not wake up until 5:30. Had breakfast at 7. Went over to school at eight but Prof. Rassweiler was not there. Miss Sevier had the famous parasol of our Aurora excursion. We made a short excursion tonight, or rather this afternoon. Went up around the Beaubiere Hill to show her some country like Tennessee.
Wednesday, June 11: We rose at four this A.M. Hitched up after breakfast and drove to the College... Our [commencement] exercises here came off at 1:30 p.m. A large crowd assembled to witness the affair. Did not hear much of the entertainment given by the Society but rather got up one of our own in our corner. I told my partner (Miss S.) that I would keep my programme so long as she would hers.
Saturday, July 5: All fair and pleasant so we concluded to go. Fred and myself brought some ice from Stenger’s. At 9:49 I was at Miss Sevier’s door. Was quite muddy when we started but found the ground all dry when we wanted to stop. At half past one p.m. we had our dinner, consisting of fried chicken, cake, ice cream, etc., and lemonade. All formed a part of our good time on this occasion. Our boat went nicely and did not leak a drop. Had my first ride with Miss Sevier and Mary Hannah, my next with Nannie S., next with Rose Cody and Mary H. Rose learned how to row. Water lillies were plucked in abundance. No accident occured to mar the enjoyment. Everything seemed to go off nicely. We all had a splendid nice time. We had some tin spoons to eat with and each one kept a spoon to remember the Fourth by. I engraved, (or rather tried to) Miss Nannie’s spoon, but made such a work of it that I am going to do it over again. Cut Ida Dudley’s name on her spoon also. Had some trouble to keep pigs and cattle off the dinner. One pie was demolished by a pig.
Tuesday, July 15: Another scorching hot morning. Can almost smell brimstone now. Tried to saw wood. It was too warm.
Wednesday, July 30: Arrived in Chicago at 9:30. After dinner rode down town in the street cars. It is very hot and dusty in Chicago. Down in the city you can not tell whether it is cloudy or not, on account of smoke. My feet were rather sore on the bottoms.
Monday, September 22: Presented Nannie Sevier and Ida Dudley each with a basket made from our “hickory” nuts obtained Saturday last. [Note: Nannie kept the basket . It was found in her effects].
Wednesday, December 31: It is 12:00 a.m. now. 1873 has passed. It has been a year never to be forgotten by me, and I hope it will be remembered by someone else. Farewell 1873.
“Happy, happy days of yore, vanished to return no more.”
Note: Transcribed from Mary Sabin Floyd's typed transcription of original diaries, first discovered in 1985. There were five diaries, total, and all have been transcribed by Mary. The Fred mentioned so frequently was Fred Lyman Babcock, a first cousin. Hattie Peaslee's name is spelled "Peasley" throughout. I have not changed any spelling or punctuation except those names which were misinterpreted in the original transcription (Rassweiller vs Rossmiller)...the old script is very faded and difficult to read. Pat Sabin
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