Hiram E. Leonard Diary, February 14 - 20, 1872

“14th Wednesday A pretty cold morning & day I did my chores choared round all day, closed up at 8 & went to bed about 11 feeling very bad My white little babe Ann Eliza died about 5-3/4 o’clock at night She died easy & went to sleep as it were the docter did not come today.

“15th Thursday rather fine weather again I did my chores chord round some closed up at 8 and went to bed at 10 nearly sick & feeling verry bad about the death of the little Angel Ann Eliza [in margin] the Doct came William McNelly went to Naperville with Barrus to get a coffin.

“16th Friday A fine day but some cloudy I did my choars choared round some closed up at 7 1/2 & went to bed at 10 sick & worne out all of us The little angel Ann Eliza McNelly was buried today funeral at one o’clock at the Methodist church Elder D McGregor preached, the nurse came up & brought the coffin & took her to the grave a little after 3 oclock, sermon at one, but it was near 1 1/2 before it commenced.

“17th Saturday A fine day for winter, but cloudy & thaws fast I did my choars choared round some went to the burying ground closed up at about 7 1/2 & went to bed about 9 1/2 tiard & about sick lonely & downhearted lonely by the loss of the little Angel Ann Eliza Wm McNelly here.

“18th Sunday A cool cloudy day but thaws some I did my choars choared round some, went to Kenyons about ________ the rest went over the river to meeting. We all went up to Barruses about one Mrs Anesworth & Wm McNelly was with us I went to see a cow that was hurt came back & left them there, they called at McGregors meeting in afternoon at 2 1/2 we went to bed at 9 nearly sick & worse out with trouble & fatigued.

“19th Monday rather a fine day for winter some cloudy & cool I did my choars choared round the office closed up at 8 & went to bed at 9 nearly sick Men & cattle froze to death in Nebraska & Kansas with 3 or 4 inches of ice on _______________.

“20th Tuesday A cool windy day, the wind blew verry cold & spit snow a little A cold night & the wind blew hard tremendous, in Nebraska & Kansas Men & cattle froze to death yesterday with 3 or 4 inches of ice on them I did my choars choared round some closed up at 8 & went to bed at 10 nearly sick [in margin] William McNelly was here Emma Stone went to the Junction to a Ball.”