Addie Boyd Wagner's Diary

Written when she was 13
In Mountain City Tennessee

Addie Wagner's diary
Commenced Jan.1,1897

Friday Jan. 1th.

Cousin Talullah Brown who has been visiting up here for several days returned home this afternoon. Mary and Maggie Rhea, Mary Wagner, Julia, Carrie and I went calling this afternoon. We went to Mrs. L's, coz. Ollie's, Misses Alice & Mollie's, Mrs. Smythes & Mrs. Faucette's. King went to a party at Mrs. Key's tonight. Mr. Rambo, Charlie Lefler, Dick, Eugene & Fred came down here tonight. We played games and had a fine time.

Saturday Jan. 2.

Maggie went home this morning. Charlie and May have very bad colds and have come to stay until they get better. Aunt Fronia went over to Uncle Joe's.
Dr. Joe Donnelley took coz. Mary Rhea home this afternoon. James and I went to a party tonight at Virgia's. We had a fine time. I met two very nice boys, Mr. Jones & Mr. Heaton. We all wanted to dance but Mrs. Donnelley would not let us, but we played " Virginia Reel" and " Snatch Partners", and other games. We had candy, peaches, cake, and pickels for refreshments. We home about eleven o'clock.

Jan. 3, Sunday.

I went to Sunday school this morning and stayed at home the rest of the day as it was very windy. I read a book through, "Ralph Raymond's heir" it was by "Horatio Alger Jr." and was very good.

Monday Jan. 4th,

I cleaned up more than usual this morning as school commences in the morning.

Tuesday Jan. 5th

I went to school today. Carrie, Hugh, and Hattie M___went with me.
Mr. M__ was there looking as sweet as ever. I went in the sixth grade. I think I will like it very well. The(re) wasn't any school this afternoon. Virgia D___, Hattie & Katie were down here tonight.

Wednesday Jan. 6th

I went to school this morning. I like to go very well. Emmette wrote me a note and said that "Johnny" was in love, and asked me wasn't I. I wrote back and told him not to ask me such questions. Mr. Faucette makes us march down from the school house.

Jan. Friday _ 8th

I went to school as usual this morning.
Annie and I had some fun this morning writing notes to Emmette M__ he fell over the bench yesterday getting one. It snowed this evening. J. W. and I haven't spoken a word directly to each other since school commenced. How Sad. The society was organized this evening: Lucy was elected pres. I vice. pres. Anna sec. Virgia tresure. P. R. S. of R. Georgia Clark as Editor. I am not very anxious to be a member only I don't want to recite every other Friday which I would have to if I were not a member of the Soc. Such eyes as Mr. (?) has got I can't look at him straight in the face to save my life if I know he is looking at me I get figety. John Barry is so silly he could not look at me straight in the face without laughing. I must be very funny in his eyes for no one else laughs when they look at me. May and Charlie are going home tomorrow. Charlie is better.

Saturday Jan. 9th

May and Charlie returned home today. I went with them and ate dinner and supper with them and helped May clean up. I had a good time for I like very much to stay up there. May gave me some apples, nuts, and candy. James came after me and we came home after nine o'clock.

Sunday 10, 1897

I did not go to Sunday school this morning nor church either. James, King and I kept house while the rest went. James made some shirbet for dinner it was very good. Mama and I went to a love feast this afternoon several told their experiences. Mama and I came on from the love feast , I to Aunt Fronia's and Mama to Mrs. Leflers.
Carrie, Julia and I went to preaching tonight. Carrie went with Dick & Julia and I went with Fred. When we came back Dick and Fred stayed until ten o'clock. I went to bed before they left.

Monday 11

Anna wills and I had so much fun today__ (Are you tickeld) (Yes) (Then spell it) We had five new pupils today one of them was May Hill. I certainly hope she won't bother me like she usually does. After school this afternoon I went up to Miss Sallie's room.

Tuesday 12

I went to school the morning. I declare I do have so much trouble in the arithmetic class. I can't work the examples at all and Mr. Faucette fusses & fusses he called me honey one day and the next he liked to have whipped me.
Anna Wills and I wrote J.M. and E.M. a note in dog Latin today & told them they did not study enough & we would like for them to study more "so to speak" they wrote back & thanked us for our kind advice & for us to act accordingly. I received my lock bracelet tonight. I was disappointed in it for I thought it would be larger than it was, it was very small.
Hugh came home tonight and he brought it up from the post office as he came and as he gave me the money I ordered the bracelet with I am just going to tell that he bought it for me.

Wednesday Jan 13th

I just laugh all the time at school and (of course) if it were not for Mr. Faucette I would like to go real well.
May Hill is such a funny girl she just says anything no matter what it is. I am very much ashamed for her sometimes though I have to laugh, she is very dull in her books & hardly ever knows her lessons. I had lots of fun at school today with my bracelet. I would not tell for a long time who gave it to me & there is "sterling" written of the lock. I had a lot of fun with that. I would make them think it was something. Fred guessed what was on it. Mr. M__ & Georgia Blank saw it when I wasn't looking I took it off and E. M. was helping me to but it on & he saw it. I ought to have known better but I didn't. It snowed all day today the ground was covered when I got up this morning. I love to go to school when it is snowing.

Thursday Jan. 14

Anna Wills was sick today & did not come to school today. I was sorry for I had to sit by myself. I made a picture today crosseyed and little curls sticking all over the hair & put the "little old maid" over it and showed it to E.M. he looked at it and asked me to make an old bachelor as him. I told him I could never imagine him an old bachelor and I could draw an old maid because I was going to be one I could imagine how one would look & he said I would never be an old maid but he knew he would be an old bachelor, and I told him that ever one had always said I would be an old maid & of course I believed them & he said I needn't believe them for I never would be one. (I guess he knows lots about it.) but I know he don't know anything about it, nor I either. Where I not but 13 yrs. old I do not see how I could tell whether I would ever marry or not.
We had a writing lesson this evening. I never had so much fun in my life. Stella Robinson and I nearly killed over ourselves laughing. I wish they would have it every evening, but they don't have it but every Thurs.

Footnotes:

Charlie, Hugh, Julia, Carrie, James, and King are Addie's siblings (in order by age, King being the youngest of Noah and Nellie Wagner's children). May Murphy is Charlie's wife and Dick Donnelley does marry Carrie about a year and ½ later. Mary Wagner is Addie's first cousin, the daughter of her Uncle Joseph Hugh Wagner and Aunt Sarah K. White Wagner. Aunt Fronia is her father's sister.

Some of those individuals without last names or questionable names are probably:
1. Talullah Brown is the daughter of Addie Brown and is Addie Wagner's 2nd Cousin.
2. Mary Rhea marries Dr. Joe Donnelley.
3. Dick, as mentioned above, is Richard Eugene "Dick" Donnelley.
4. Fred is Fred McDade.
5. Mrs. "L" is Mrs. Elrod.
6. Ollie is Ollie McDade.
7. Eugene is Eugene McDade.
8 & 9. Are Misses Alice and Mollie Donnelley.
10. Mr. Rambo is Sam Rambo.
11. Virgia is a Donnelley.
12, 13,14, and 15. Hattie, Katie, Emmette (E.M.) and J. M. are Murphys and may be siblings of Addie's sister-in-law May.
16. Anna is a Wills.
17. Sallie is a Donnelley and marries a Matney.
18. Georgia Blank is Georgia Blankenship and marries a Wiley. (see below for correction)
(Source is Marjorie London Dyer, Addie's daughter.)

This world is very small. When I first started as a public school speech therapist, I shared an office with Virgia Donnelley's daughter Ruth. She was the Reading Specialist for the Jackson County, NC schools.

May Hill and Addie Wagner became best friends. Also I believe that Addie ended up in a special math class with May!

More installments to follow at a later date. I don't know if I can keep up with the days of the week in the diary, since I am back at work. Also I am going to have knee surgery Friday.

Footnotes to correct error in previous installment.

Georgia Blank was not Blankenship but Blankenbeckler.

Friday Jan 15.

Anna wasn't at school this morning she must be bad off, for I never knew her to miss going to school.

Mr. Faucette let May and I go in the arithmetic by ourselves. I am so glad for I know I could never have kept up with the class we have commenced with fractions. The boys and girls that wern't in either of the Society's recitals this evening [obviously there is a spelling error and something is missing.]

We went up to Mrs. Blank's this evening.

Saturday Jan 16.

I bathed just after dinner this evening and went over to Lillie's to see the new baby it is right pretty. I staid over there about an hour and then went up to Aunt Fronia's and staid all night. I had a big time. I just love to stay up there I have such a good time.

Sunday Jan 17.

I was coming home this morning (Papa come home last night) to see Papa but, as I was going to get ready to come it commenced raining and rained all morning & I didn't get to come. May had an awful good dinner today I enjoyed it very much. After dinner Fred and Eugene came and staid a while in Aunt Fronia's room. After a while I went in May's & Hattie, Annie, May Hill and Julia were in there. I staid in there until I left.
I came home with Julia and Eugene. Papa is not very well. He brough me a pair of awful pretty shoes & stockings. I thought the shoes were the prettiest I ever had. They are too little in the instep & I will have to send back I am so sorry.

Monday Jan 18.

I went up in Miss Sallie's room this evening May Hill was up there. When I came home she came with me to get a book "A Vagrant Girl." For Anna Murphy, Tallulah Brown and Addie Lee had first been here, Tallulah left some ribs, sausage, & butter. We enjoyed some sausage very much for supper. Eugene was down here this evening.

Jan. 19. Tuesday.

Mr. Faucette gave us all a lecture this morning & R. P. Donnelley read the rietes about the boarders again. They were so silly.
May Hill is sick & didn't come to school today. Anna and I had a fight today. I stuck my hand with a hat pin which was in her hair and it nearly killed me. Anna and I went after me a tablet this evening. I use one so quick.
King is right sick with the grippe.

Wednesday Jan 20.

The Society met this evening. Lucy wasn't there so I had to be president. We had select readings, Comp. and recitations, as usual, I would not be pres. for anything for I get all tangled and forget what to say.

Thursday Jan 21.

I told Emmett today that Virgia said that she wouldn't come to the Society if she had known that he wasn't here, he didn't believe it. I know he isn't stuck on her but she think's he is. Emmett is always writing me a note & saying something silly. I tell him he is silly.

Friday Jan 22.

Nearly all of the boarders went home today. Anna Wills went. She hadn't been for a month. Mary Faucette came up this evening. I guess she was dissapointed because the boarders were gone.

Saturday Jan. 23.

Papa went to Bristol this morning. I do wish he wouldn't go so much for I know it hurts him. I received a letter from Ticy to night he hadn't answered my letters for a long time.

Sunday Jan 24.

I went to Sunday school this morning. I went over to Aunt Sallie's this evening. I eat four pickels. Eugene was overthere. Dick D. and "our" Mr. Mitchell were down here this evening.

Monday Jan 25.

I went to school this morning. I felt awful bad. I thought I was going to take the grippe. I have about gotten over it now. Charlie is down here tonight. Mary Wagner ate dinner here today.

Tuesday Jan 26.

It was right cold today. Anna Wills and I wrote a note to J.M. and E.M. & asked them what had become of "Big Quartette" [the last word is difficult to read, so this is my best guess.]

Wednesday Jan. 27.

It snowed all day today [while 103 years later we are having record highs in the area.] The Society met this afternoon. Mary Faucette was there (we do not allow visitors) and we had the poorest meeting we have had for a long time.
Fred told me that J.M. thought I had gone back on him. I told Fred to tell him that I had not gone back on him. I think Fred told him. May Hill wrote Fred a note and said, "If you will stick a pin in Eb Murphy I will give you a dollar." I thought it was the funniest thing I ever heard of. She just writes anything to boys. Papa came home tonight. He bought me an awful pretty pair of shoes. They all call them brats [again the previous word is a guess.] They are so big.
The man that Papa has been looking for so long came with him.

Thursday Jan. 28.

Papa and "his man" went over to the mine today – it had been an awful day today. I did not go to school. I went to May's this evening.

Footnotes to Friday 15th to Thursday the 28th

1. Fronia was Addie's unmarried Aunt. She lived in the house that she was born in and kept the same room. She also died in this room. This was the house that her father built on coming to Taylorsville. It was the first clapboard house built in the town and was a saltbox style house. Previous houses were log. They later were covered with clapboard.
2. Fronia's nephew, Charlie and his wife May, lived there at this time to help Fronia. This is the May who cooks the good dinner.
3. The bedrooms in these old houses were often also sitting rooms with large fireplaces. So this is why friends visited in these rooms. Remember it is cold!
4. Sallie probably was her Aunt Sallie, the wife of Joseph Hugh Wagner.
5. Addie Lee is Addie Lee Brown who married an Edmonds.
6. Lillie, who has the baby, is a first cousin of Addie's. She is the daughter of Addie's Aunt Alzenia who married a Jackson and lived in Jonesborough, TN. Lillie was married to T. Stanley Smythe of Mountain City.
7. The baby was Alzenia Kate Smythe, called Zenia Kate.
8. The Ticy is a first cousin. Ticy is short for Matthias. There were two first cousins with this as a given name. Matthias Miller Wagner (not to be confused with Addie's grandfather) who was the son of her Uncle Joseph Hugh Wagner and Matthias Jackson brother of Lillie and son of Aunt Alzenia.
9. Mary Wagner is another first cousin and is the daughter of Uncle Joseph Hugh Wagner. She is Addie's sister Julia's age and graduated with Julia at Shorter College.

Friday Jan 29.

I am still at May's. I read some of Aunt Fronia's "Home Journals" today. May is painting a pretty picture. Jessie came up this evening and brought May a half gallon of milk. We were glad because we had been wanting some snow cream for supper. Eugene and Fred came up after supper and staid until bedtime. Fred told me that "some one" had been wanting to know why I hadn't been in school. Eugene told me that Papa had come from the mine. It was an awful cold night last night. I believe we are having the coldest weather we have had this winter.

Saturday Jan. 30.

I came home right early this morning so I could see Papa off he went to Bristol. I wrote a long letter to Ticy today. I have a right bad soar throat.

Sunday Jan. 31.

Julia, Carrie, and I went to Sunday school this morning & a good many of the borders were there. Mr. J. M. wasn't. I went up to May's this afternoon. Hattie, Annie and May were up there. Julia and Carrie went to prayer meeting tonight but I did not go.

Monday Feb. 1-'97

We had a new border today "Lura Parker"- she is a very nice girl.

Tuesday Feb. 2.

I went to school today. Nothing more than usual happened.

Wednesday - 3.

Our Society met this afternoon we had a right good meeting I was on recitation. Next week we elect new members.

Thursday - 4.

I wrote a note to Will D. - & gave him a trade. He wrote back and give me a trade. He threw the note to May Hill and told her to give it to me. "Lo! And Behold" Mr. Faucette saw her & and "hollered" out & said "May what was that" & May said "nothing but a piece of paper" & Mr. Faucette said "Addie give it to me" & don't you think I was "good" enough to give it to him he read it & "it must have been" awful sweet for he got awful mad & made May Hill & me sit up front on the bench & said I ought to be ashamed of myself & he was going to tell "my Mama." I said "I don't care" & he said "Yes you do care and I am going to show it to her & tell her how you cut up." Oh! he was furious. I ate dinner at May's today.

Friday Feb. 5th.

This morning Mr. Faucette made May Hill & I sit in the cold I thought I would certainly would freeze. May nearly cried she got so cold. This evening Mama let me stay home this evening because she didn't want me to sit in the cold.

Saturday Feb. 6th.

We looked for Cousin Callie Rhea & Maggie today as Mr. Catron preached and it was quarterly meeting but they did not come.

Sunday Feb. 7-

I went to Sunday school today & we all went to church Mr. Catron preached. May came home with us and ate dinner. We all went to the love feast. Stacy and Fred came down after the love feast. Dick D. took Carrie to preaching tonight. H. T. D. took Mary, Johnny Smythe took Julia, & King and I went with the crowd.

Monday Feb 8th.

Nothing more than usual happened today.

Tuesday Feb 9th.

May Hill and I went to our right seats today and it made Mr. Faucette awful mad he said we had to sit on the front bench the rest of the session, he fussed at May and I all the time. May is the funniest thing I ever saw. She nearly "tickles" me to death, she said she just as soon go to school to a rattlesnake twelve months as to Mr. F__ one hour. She give "Vaught" the "S.B." today. Mrs. Donnelley got the news to me that John was dead. It was very sad. They also got news that Hugh was going to bring him home to bury him and that Mrs. Matney was coming. Wednesday Feb. 10th.

I went to school today. John D. died from heart disease, he was sitting on the hotel with someone in Texas and he said he felt bad & believed he would go to the drug store and get some medicine & then go to bed. The next morning he did not come to breakfast so his imployer went to see what was the matter with him & found him laying on the counter of the store dead. The doctors examined him and found he died with heart disease. Hugh had him embalmed and started with him right off.

Thursday Feb. 11th.

Julia staid all night with Aunt Fronia last night and ate dinner there today.
Charlie and James took a buggy to meet Mrs. Matney and Hugh. James brought Mrs. Matney and Charlie brought Hugh and the back drivers brought the corpse in the back. They arrived about five in the evening. It nearly killed Mrs. Donnelley and it hurt Dick worse than any of the children so I heard. I ate supper at May's tonight.

Friday Feb. 12.

I went to the funeral today. It certainly was sad they all took it so very hard. They had the funeral service at the house. He looked very natural. I did not go to school this evening but went up to May's. Annie, Hattie, and Sallie Barry was there. Annie and I had such fun getting Sallie home.alt view Footnotes: January 28th through February 12th

Footnotes:

1. The Friday Feb.12th is the last entry that I have. It appears that the diary did continue but the pages are missing.
2. Jessie is probably Jessie Murphy; she married Ferd Wright.
3. Addie went to both the Baptist and the Methodist Episcopal Church. The love feasts were at the Methodist Church.
4. A "trade" is a compliment that you give someone that you have heard about them from someone else. The person you give a "trade" to is supposed to give you one back and so on.
5. Will D. is probably Will Donnelly brother of Dick Donnelly.
6. Vaught is probably Vaught Pierce.
7. We believe that the Hugh mentioned in the information about the death of John Donnelly is Hugh Donnelly and not Joseph Hugh Wagner.
8. The Mrs. Matney is John Donnelly's sister. Mr. Matney was a teacher. I do not know the location where John or Mrs. Matney was living.

This page last updated 30 June 2006