THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR Newsletter from Sebewa; Sebewa Township, Ionia County, MI. 
DECEMBER 2007, Volume 43, Number 3.  Submitted with written permission of Editor Grayden D. Slowins:

SURNAMES:  COE, MILES, WEIR, LUMBERT, HARRIS, BAILIFF, HOLTON, BETKER, FRIEND, LEIK, SHAY, HADEWAY, CARR, SLOWINS, INGALLS, TERRILL, HOGLE, HILL, HUNTINGTON, STRINE, BANHAGEL, BIEHLER, SCHNABEL, SLOWINSKI, STEINBERG, LEHMAN, O’MARA, SARLOUIS, MAJINSKA, KUBISH, ELDRIDGE, FARRELL, CANNAM, LAKIN, HUGGLER, VAN HOUTEN, BARNUM, WELCH

RECENT DEATHS: 

HOWARD MERRILL COE, 92, husband of Vivian MILES Coe, father of Janet LAKIN, Rosa Lee TIFFANY, Darrell COE, Tom COE, Mary Ellen BENJAMIN, Sharon BENJAMIN, Gary COE, Margaret ENGBERG, R. COE, Martha COE and infant sons Billie DEAN & Keith COE, brother of the late Ethel ALLEN, son of Jessie & Lydia COE.  Born October 1, 1914, married September 22, 1934, Howard worked 17 years for Valley City Milling Co. until the disastrous fire of February 1950, then he worked 25 years for Builders Lumber & Supply Co.  He was much in demand for advice to customers, and in retirement he helped many of us with repair projects, especially the Portland Baptist Church.  He died September 26, 2007, and is buried in Portland Cemetery.

LILA V. WEIR LUMBERT, 91, widow of Wayne Floyd LUMBERT and ex-wife of Francis LUMBERT, father of her children, mother of Francis (Sonny), Jim, Clifford, Jerry, Bob, and Larry LUMBERT, Gladah THELEN, Jean LUMBERT, Wendy MATER, Cindy RUSSELL, and the late Wayne LUMBERT, sister of Jim ELMER, and Eldon WEIR, Tret CORNELL, Orcelia MATZ, Martha PEASE, and the late Sid & Ruth WEIR, daughter of Elmer & Cora HARRIS WEIR.  She retired as an inspector at Chrysler Lyons Trim Plant in 1974, and enjoyed cheering at her grandchildrens’ sports events. 

   She was born in Alto, November 9, 1915, she died October 14, 2007, and is buried in East Sebewa Cemetery.

JAMES LYNN BAILIFF, SR., 76, husband of Eleanor E. HOLTON BAILIFF, father of James L. BAILIFF, Jr., Rose M. HENRY, William L. BAILIFF, Sr., and Carol J. PROCTOR, brother of Marylee SANDBORN, Ruth SCHAFFER, and LeRoy BAILIFF, son of Garland L. & Grace BETKER BAILIFF.  He retired from the Village of Sunfield after 25 years on maintenance, supervisor of maintenance, and police officer. 

   In retirement he was a school crossing guard.  Born November 21, 1930, in Marion, Oregon, growing up in Sebewa Township and living here the rest of his life, he died October 30, 2007, and is buried in East Sebewa Cemetery.

LETTER FROM GRAYDEN D. SLOWINS in Starke, FL, February 19, 2007, to CHARLES LEIK in Great Falls, VA:

   Dear Charles:  Thanks for the Ephraim SHAY information and the receipts and bills of sale for your Dad’s farm equipment.  I remember when he got that tractor and borrowed our mounted hay mower, while waiting to get one of his own.  I still can picture in my mind, Henry FEDEWA was working for him and drove it out of our driveway.  I will lay those receipts away to return to you when you wish.

   Ephraim SHAY’S first home in Sebewa was with his mother and siblings on 40 acres at the NW corner of BIPPLEY and SHILTON Roads, Section 16 Sebewa, surrounding the schoolhouse/new town hall, now owned by the John HADEWAY Estate and long farmed by the CARR family.  The house was on the green spot west of where the old barn stood.

   His second home, after he came home from the Civil War, was on his own 80 acres at the NE and SE corners of BIPPLEY and KIMMEL Roads, Sections 16 & 21 Sebewa, just a mile west of his mother, Phoebe SHAY.  His house was on the south 40, as it is today, and is now owned by Ilene (Mrs. George) CARR.  Here he was also Sebewa Township Clerk in 1867-1868.

   Next he lived in Sunfield Township south of the present-day Village of Sunfield.  The village wasn’t started until the railroad bypassed the Village of Sebewa about 1886.  He founded the Village of SHAYTOWN at the intersection of what is now SHAYTOWN Road and Clinton Trail/M-50 in Sections 25 & 26 Sunfield Township, now owned by Harold & Helen COTTON.

   He moved his sawmill from there to just north of Cadillac, where he founded the Village of HARING.  One think I learned from the story you sent was that the Village of CLAM LAKE was incorporated as the City of Cadillac.  More prestigious I guess!

   Sincerely, Grayden D. SLOWINS

LETTER FROM JIM & CAROL HOGLE HILL:  Carol is descended from Sebewa first settlers Jonathan INGALLS, John TERRILL and William HOGLE.

   Attached please find a copy of 56^th Annual North American Indian Days, plus a little bit about following the Lewis and Clark Trail.  This is the journal of our trip to Montana and Idaho July 9-23, 2007.  The main thrust of our trip was to attend the BLACKFEET Nation’s 56^th annual event in Browning, MI, and to do some genealogy work there, which turned out to be a bust.  We also visited Helena, Butte, and Missoula, Montana, and Salmon, Idaho.  We found a lot of evidence of the Lewis & Clark Trail all along our route.

   Oral history says Jim is 1/8 Native American, as one of his paternal great-grandmothers was reputed to be a full-blood BLACKFEET.  Unfortunately we have very little documentation of this as fact.  The only official document we have is a copy of his paternal grandparents’ marriage license obtained from the Michigan Bureau of Vital Statistics.  It indicates that the bride’s mother was a Miss STRINE”, and her father was George HUNTINGTON.  Their daughter, Mable HUNTINGTON, married Pearl HILL in Kingsley, MI, on February 20, 1901.

   Mable HUNTINGTON was born in Manistee County June 15, 1881.  Pearl HILL was born in Monroe County, MI.  Their four children were born in Manistee from 1902 to 1911.  Then the family moved in the late 1920s or early 1930s back to the Detroit area to work in the auto plants.  Grandfather later abandoned the family to work on the railroad, so information never got passed along.

   We recently attended the Smithsonian’s National Powwow in Washington, D.C. where we met an Ojibwa couple from Little Traverse Bay, MI.  They told us that while there are many Native Americans in the Greater Traverse City area, they don’t know of any BLACKFEET.  It appears logical that his great-great-grandparents could have lived somewhere in the west and moved to Michigan to escape the Indian Re-settlement Program.

   We have run STRINE thru the BLACKFEET Nation’s surname list on their website but found no match.  We also sent our documentation to the BLACKFEET Nation’s Bureau of Enrollment, who also found no match.  We are hoping one of your readers may have information on the BLACKFEET connection in the Traverse City area.

   Very truly yours, Jim & Carol HILL, Charlottesville, VA. 

HISTORY OF THE IONIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BUILDING by Grayden SLOWINS:

   Organized October 30, 1842, the Presbyterians borrowed or rented other buildings at first and dedicated their own building August 12, 1857.  A painting of that building hangs in the upper entryway.  It was built of wood, but had a cut stone foundation.  That building was destroyed by fire June 28, 1908, after sparks from a locomotive set fire to the Pere Marquette depot on the northeast corner of Front (Adams) Street and Depot Street and that in turn ignited the church.

   This current building was built during 1909 and dedicated March 13, 1910.  The builders were Banhagel Bros. Construction Co.  During a period roughly 1870-1970 this extended family built most of the brick and stone buildings in the Ionia area.  Beginning in 1854, when the first family members got off the boat from Posen, East Prussia, via the port of Hamburg, Germany, these skilled stone masons brought their tools in a carpet bag and worked up to being the primary contractors.

   They worked on the Frederick HALL House (1869-70), BLANCHARD HOUSE (1876), VANDERHEYDEN House ( 1878), and many other Italianate homes and store buildings, the Michigan Reformatory (1876), Ionia State Hospital ( 1878), the Ionia County Court House in 1884-1886, and churches:  First Methodist (1854 & 1932), Presbyterian (1857, 1909, 1969), Disciples (1867-73), First Baptist ( 1870), Episcopal ( 1881), Sts. Peter & Paul (1881), Zion (1885).

   They were the primary contractors on the Ionia City Hall, the Armory and the Presbyterian Church in 1909.  Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Co, in 1914, on the original brick paving on Main Street in 1915, the Ionia Free Fair buildings 1915-1920s.

   Unlike the Washington National Cathedral, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, etc., these buildings in Ionia are not built of rectangular stone blocks.  Every building in Ionia, including the Court House, is built with yellow brick (sometimes called white or ivory brick) inner courses or in later years concrete blocks, then faced with cut stone slabs or red bridk.  Some houses have yellow brick on the outside and inside, but usually wood frame, brick veneer.

   In the case of this church, they began with some of the original foundations & foundation stones and laid up more base stones faced-off on the inner surfaces and then sandstone squared-off rectangular on the outside and now painted white.  Some places this outside stone comes up two feet and some places ten feet, but if you look closely you will see the stone blocks are all the same height, but not all the same length, unlike the concrete blocks on the newer additions.  All these stones are rounded or at least irregulary surfaces inside the walls.

   Then the bricks go up, yellow on the inside, red outside.  Most downtown store buildings have double walls of the same quality of brick, because they must support the floors, ceilings, and roofs of two buildings.  Also some private homes have been built using all yellow or all red brick.  But public buildings usually can’t come in under budget unless they use something less showy where it doesn’t show.

   In 1969 Benhagel Bros. added the east wing and old men who had mixed mortar as teenagers in 1909 came back to lay a few bricks and reminisce.  The five interrelated families were SCHNABEL, SLOWINSKI, STEINBERG, BENHAGEL & BIEHLER.  Originally they quarreled & cut the stone, fired the brick and laid them all. 

JOHN FRIEND’S CHAIRS:  We recently donated a set of three Victorian chairs to the BLANCHARD House Museum in Ionia.  They came from the home of Ann’s great-great-grandfather, John FRIEND, who platted the town of Sebewa on his farm.  This was the northwest and southwest corners of MUSGROVE Hwy and KEEFER Hwy.  The village on the east side of KEEFER Hwy is really CORNELL, although most people don’t distinguish between the two and some folks used to come and try to vote.  The big John FRIEND house burned long ago.  And Jim & Delores STANK live in the original homestead farmhouse.  The chairs passed down to John’s daughter Morna PORTER, then to her niece Marian PRYER LAKIN, Ann’s mother, and finally to us.  Look for them if you visit the BLANCHARD House. 

We also have copies of the SCHNABEL Family History at $31.00, $35.00 if mailed.  It covers SCHNABEL, SLOWINSKI, STEINBERG, BENHAGEL, BIEHLER, LEHMAN, O’MARA, SARLOUIS, MAJINSKA, KUBISH, ELDRIDGE, FARRELL, CANNAM, etc.  

NEIGHBOR TOM HUGGLER writes:  Dear Grayden, Thanks for all your hard work (and Ann’s too) for THE RECOLLECTOR.  It is much appreciated.  I am especially enjoying the Ephraim SHAY diary, because I am working on a novel from that time period.  The daily regimen of Union soldiers is insightful and interesting, in particular because I am writing about events in the Western Theater (Mississippi River) in Spring 1862.  When the book is done, I’ll share it with you.  It is a true story, based on Rachael (VAN HOUTEN) BARNUM WELCH’S experiences as the mother of a Union soldier.  Sincerely, Tom HUGGLER.  

EPHRAIM SHAY’S DIARY 1861 – 1863      CONCLUDED:

   Wednesday, August 12, 1863 – office duties, 51 sick sent on Hospital Steamer Transport R. C. WOOD, Thursday 13^th – received 39 more wounded today and sent 30 north, answered Miss BROKAW’S & Priscilla’s letters.  Friday 14^th – office duties, health improving, have an idea of applying for Hospital Steward position.  Saturday 15^th – office duties, made out an application for the position of Hospital Steward.  Sunday 16^th – office duties, forwarded application strongly recommended by Surgeon McDOWELL.

   Monday 17^th – office duties.  Tuesday 18^th – preparing to break up hospital.  Wednesday 19^th – received letter from Priscilla, sent 85 sick on board the Wood & City of Memphis.  The City of Madison, an Ordinance Boat, was blown to pieces by the carelessness of a detail of Negroes loading it.  WALSH was seriously injured.  Thursday 20^th – office duties, rainy day.  Friday 21^st – Sunday 23^rd p office duties, sent 27 men on furlough, they went by Forest Queen.

   Monday 24^th – Tuesday 25^th – office duties, received Detail from Gen GRANT to Special Duty in Med Dept. to report to Surgeon MILLER in charge of Prentiss Hospital.  Wednesday 26^th – office duties, quite unwell, cool weather.  Thursday 27^th – I moved down to Prentiss Hospital.  Friday 28^th – duties in Dispensary.  Saturday 29^th – usual duties, fitting up the Dispensary.  Sunday 30^th – Monday 31^st – usual duties in Dispensary.

   Tuesday September 1^st – Friday 4^th – usual duties and busy fitting up the Dispensary.  Saturday 5^th – Saturday 12^th – usual duties in Dispensary.  Sunday 13^th – usual duties in Dispensary, received letter from Priscilla dated August 8^th, had already received one written later.  Her baby is dead, our Mother’s health is poor.

   Monday 14^th – Friday 18^th – usual duties, went up the river this afternoon to a suburb of Vicksburg to select a site for the hospital.  Found the one now occupied quite suitable.  Saturday 19^th – usual duties.  Mister ROWELL staid with me last night.  Sgt PEASLEY came into town today on business connected with raising a Regt of Blacks for the defense of Vicksburg.

   Sunday 20^th – Wednesday 23^rd – usual duties.  Thursday 24^th – reinforcements for Gen ROSECRANS left Vicksburg today.  In the afternoon I rode around the suburbs of Vicksburg and saw the new fortifications.  Went to the city burying grounds and saw the corpse of Wm. A. L. who was killed in a duel in 1849.  He is enclosed in a metallic case and looks perfectly natural.  A child is also preserved the same way in the vault.  Friday 25^th – Sunday 27^th – usual duties.  Monday 28^th – 15^th Army Corps moving out on boats.  Will & Tom HOLLAND took breakfast with me.  Got my vouchers signed by Gen SHERMAN for $42 extra pay due me.  Tuesday 29^th & Wednesday 30^th – very unwell.

   Thursday, October 1, 1863 – wrote a letter to Jim TAYLOR.  Friday 2^nd – applied for sick furlough for sixty days, granted for thirty.  Got permission of Medical Director to go up on the McDOUGALL.  Left Vicksburg at 3:25 PM.  Went up to wood yard just below ditch and wooded up.  Steamer New Ben Accord passed down with three barges in tow, loaded with oats I believe, while we lay at wood yard about 5:50 PM.  Left wood yard at dark.  Sunday 4^th – 7:15 AM, 75 miles above Vicksburg before saw a Gun Boat at New Carthage.  Laid up at 12 PM until 3 AM on 5^th on account of fog.

   Monday, October 5, 1863 – went through new cutoff at Napoleon one half mile long, saves 9 ½ miles.  At 7:35 AM passed White River 100 miles below Helena, 175 miles from Memphis.  9:10 AM passed Steamer Rocket bound down river with two barges in tow (a stern wheel boat).  10:30 AM passed a gun boat of the Mosquito fleet, upper deck white, lower deck dark, a steamboat refitted, going down stream.  2:10 PM met a stern wheel Steamer towing barges, one loaded with hay, could not see the other.

   Tuesday 6^th – 7:08 AM saw wreck of Steamer Courier 30 miles below Memphis (burned).  3:25 met the Adams of ELLIOT’S maneuver fleet at the mouth of a river in sight of Memphis.  4:10 PM met the Metropolitan, arrived in Memphis at 4:20.  Went to theatre, met Col C. SMITH, can get Extra Duty Pay tomorrow.  Saw Gen G. A. SMITH and Gen M. L. SMITH at Gayoso.

   Wednesday 7^th – booked passage on Steamer Graham to Cairo, IL, fare $1.25.  Saw Gen G. A. SMITH at Gayoso again and received $42.00 extra duty pay from Col C. SMITH.  Saw T. TAYLOR, BOYER, and other boys.  Called on Surgeon HEARTSHOM, can get a situation in Gayoso Hospital.  Left Memphis at 5:00 PM on Graham.  Met the Clara Belle at 5:50, met two boats names not known, too dark to see.  8:30 PM on a snag, no damage to hull or engine or wheel.  9 PM on our way.  Laid up until morning on account of fog.

   Thursday 8^th – started at daylight, pleasant morning, all day and most of the night.  Met several boats with commissary stores for the army.  Friday 9^th – under way and passed Island No. 10 at 8:45 AM.  Arrived in Cairo at 4:50 PM.  Got my train ticket, checks, etc. for Detroit, bought cap $1.75, supper $2.00, etc. $1.50 = $5.25.

   Saturday 10^th – left Cairo at 3:30 AM, delayed by a train in our way, only got 47 miles out by 7:30, an hour behind time.  At Oreana another delay by a house which was being moved across the tracks.  Sunday 11^th – went to Soldiers’ Home, called on James TAYLOR, staid until late afternoon, took train for Detroit at 7:15.  Monday 12^th – arrived in Detroit on time, left for Muir at 8 AM, arrived at 1:30 PM, called at Aunt Mary’s, stayed all night.

   Tuesday, October 13, went to Portland and Uncle Eph’s in Sebewa, found Priscilla there, rode home with Lucious SHOWERMAN, saw Ma a few minutes and went up to Uncle Ben’s a short time.  Then back home to Ma’s for the night.  Wednesday 14^th – went out hunting with Theodore, staid with Uncle Ben for supper.  Thursday 15^th – helped Theodore husk corn, called on Rich in afternoon.  Friday 16^th – fine day, visited at Priscilla’s home and Uncle Ben’s, he’s preparing to go west viewing.

   Saturday October 17, 1863 – went to Ionia, saw Attorney WILLIAMS about Ma’s land, to get a new deed for tax certificate, employed him to do it, cost 50 cents.  Went to Recorder’s Office, left three deeds for recording, one is Warranty Deed to Ma, one from Auditor General to previous owner, and the third to her Will.  Paid for the recording of all – total cost $2.75.  Total expended for Ma - $3.25.  Sunday 18^th – staid at Muir with Aunt Mary.

   Monday October 19, 1863 – left Muir for Grand Haven at 1:30 PM, staid over night at Grand Haven, expenses $2.75.  Tuesday 20^th – took Stage from Mill Point for Muskegon, arrived 12 AM.  Started up river and stopt over night at a small inn at Wolf Lake.  Uncle John PROBASCO came in about half an hour after I stopt, a very unexpected meeting.  Total expenses for the day $2.50.  Wednesday 21^st – went up to Newago, expense $1.15.

   Thursday 22^nd – went to Uncle John’s, expense $.50, looked at 120 acres of his farm with a view of buying 20 acres improved – cost $600.  Friday 23^rd – staid at Uncle John’s last night, snow two inches deep this morning, melted during day.  Took another look at Uncle’s land, concluded it was too light for my purposes.  He offered me 80 acres laying 12 miles east, much better land for $3 per acre (unimproved), allowing him to take the pine off.

   Saturday 24^th – left Uncle’s and went to Mr. Kelley FULLER’S 12 miles east, viewed Uncle’s land there, not well satisfied with it.  Went and viewed 80 acres belonging to Hiram BARTON, with hay, grain, oxen & wagon, etc. for $600 – cheap.

   Sunday 25^th – came 27 miles to Greenville, Kelley FULLER & Hiram BARTON came with me.  Monday 26^th – made a bargain with Mr. BARTON and drew contract, came 13 ½ miles, to within 8 miles of Ionia.  Tuesday 27^th – went to Ionia, then by cars to Muir and by wagon to Portland.  Wednesday 28^th went home.  Thursday 29^th – Saturday 31^st at home, bargained for two cows of H. and spoke for hay to keep them of Rich, was at a shooting match.

   Sunday, November 1, 1863 – went to Uncle Eph’s in afternoon.  Monday 2^nd – took Stage for Muir, left at 4:15 for Grand Haven, but on account of change of time, no boat came for Milwaukee.  Tuesday 3^rd – remaining in Grand Haven, left by boat at 8 PM.  Wednesday 4^th – arrived in Milwaukee about 4 AM, went to Chicago by the 8 AM train, cannot get (further) transportation today.  Thursday 5^th – got transportation and left for Cairo (IL) by the 10 PM train.  Friday 6^th – arrived in Cairo about 6 PM, booked passage on Steam Boat M. L. Ewing, cabin fare $6.00.  Saturday 7^th – went out on a levee, left at 1:30 PM.  Capt of boat and Gen SMITH had warm words about landing some passengers at Hill’s Point at Columbus, left at dusk, quite unwell.

   Sunday 8^th – under way, going very slow, quite unwell with the Ague.  Monday 9^th – laid up nearly all night, made Fort PELLOW about 10 AM.  Ague very bad.  Arrived at Memphis at 6 PM, went to Soldier’s Home on Beale St., very unwell, took Dover’s Powder.  Tuesday 10^th – remained at the Home, took Quinine in the morning, very sick all day.  Wednesday 11^th – some better, booked cabin passage on Steamer Emerald for Vicksburg – fare $6.00.  Thursday 12^th – feel better, but very dizzy-headed, boat left at 2 PM.  Friday 13^th – on our way, left Helena at 11 AM, getting better.  Saturday 14^th – on our way.

   Sunday 15^th – arrived at Vicksburg about 10 AM, reported at the Prentiss Hospital.  Monday 16^th – at the hospital, Surgeon CHURCHMAN wants me to come to his office as a clerk, went in afternoon for a short time.  Tuesday 17^th – on duty at Health Officer’s office, Col THOMAS left word for me to call at his office.  I did so about 6 PM, had a pleasant interview.  Wednesday 18^th – Saturday 21^st – on duty with Surgeon CHURCHMAN, Health Officer’s office.  Sunday 22^nd – Thursday 26^th – office duties.

   Friday, November 27^th, 1863 – office duties, went to Col EATON’S office, had an interview with his clerk or assistant, found my name had been forwarded for Detail for a position in the 7^th Lan(?).  Saturday 28^th – office duties, went again up to Col EATON’S office and made known my wishes.  Stated that but two positions could be given, one in a Regt of Army Department below Major – Adjutant and Quartermaster – told them to strike my name off the list for anything else.  Sunday 29^th – office duties, very cold, froze hard last night.

   Monday, November 30^th – Friday December 4^th – office duties, cool.  Saturday 5^th – office duties, much pulling between Surgeon CHURCHMAN and other Doctors, whether I shall be doing duty at both places.  Sunday 6^th – office duties, Col relieved and ordered to report to Surgeon McCORD.  Monday 7^th – office duties, feel unwell.  Surgeon BUCKNER left for Memphis with Surgeon McCORD.  Col went to Goodniche’s Landing.  Tuesday 8^th – office duties in forenoon, had a chill in afternoon, quite sick, Surgeon CHURCHMAN sent for me, could not go.  Received order from Gen McARTHUR to report to Surgeon CHURCHMAN for duty as “Clerk at the Post”.  Surgeon DODSON sent in a report.  Wednesday 9^th – reported as per Special Order No. 84 dated Dec 8^th.

   Thursday 10^th – office duties, feel better, wrote a letter to Dr. BUCHNER accompanying his order relieving him from his Department and ordering him to report to Surgeon McCORD, Medical Director.  Friday 11^th – office duties.  Saturday 12^th – office duties.  Post Dispensary moved today to front room in our office building, warm day.  Sunday 13^th – office duties, warm day, heavy shower.  Monday 14^th – Wednesday 16^th – office duties, Order issued relieving me from duty with Surgeon CHURCHMAN and ordering me to report Surgeon DODSON in charge here at the hospital in Vicksburg.  Reported in compliance with it.

   Thursday 17^th – preparing my office and room.  Friday 18^th – duties of Hospital Steward, weather 21 degrees in morning.  Saturday 19^th – duties of steward, percent of deaths during week – 41.2%.  Weather 30 degrees in morning.  Sunday 20^th – usual duties of the day, took a chill, or rather rigors, about 2 PM, succeeded by a high fever……took three Coumpound Pills at 7:30 PM, fever on yet, ate no supper.  Monday 21^st – feel very weak with a headache………took 5 gr. of Quinine, ate a good breakfast of beef steak, toast, tea & pickles.  Attending to office duties, took another 5 gr. of Quinine at 11 AM, ate dinner, had a Panada for supper, took blue pill.

   Tuesday 22^nd – thermometer 40 degrees in morning, office duties though quite unwell.  Dr. DOBSON arrived with a sick child, Dr. WRIGHT from Memphis arrived, also Dr PARKER.  Received letter from Priscilla, Jane, and old ones, and Dr. MILLER with his Photograph.  Quite a misunderstanding between Dr WRIGHT and Dr DOBSON.  At bedtime took a pill – Hyd. 8 gr. Quinine 4 gr.  Wednesday 23^rd – thermometer 50 degrees, duties of office, feel better, had an interview with Mr W. L. CROCKETT, son of David CROCKETT.

   Thursday 24^th – 60 degrees, usual duties, PEASLEE called on me, has just got his discharge from Regt.  Dance in the dining room.  Friday December 25 – 60 degrees, usual duties, a dance at Major ANDERSON’S.  Saturday 26^th – usual duties, 62 degrees, making a box to store my clothes in.  Colored girls gave the Hospital Corps a supper, it was an excellent one in the best of style, and they had a dance in the evening.

   Sunday, December 27, 1863 – usual duties.  Monday 28^th – usual duties.  Tuesday 29^th – usual duties.  Dr. MILLER arrived this morning or rather late last night.  No news from Dr. BUCKNER.  Wednesday 30^th – usual duties.  Thursday December 31, 1863, usual duties.  END OF DIARY.

   FINAL NOTE:  This Editor also was assigned special detail away from the front lines – during the Korean War – to be Clerk, Corporal and later Brevet Sergeant, of Medical Supply at a U. S. Army Dispensary and later a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H. – 454) Reserve Unit.  And both of us eventually were Clerk of Sebewa Township, Ionia County, Michigan, one hundred years apart!  I suggest if you save back issues, that you reread this story of the American Civil War, because it’s difficult to remember continuity over two years and ten issues.