This particular journal was submitted to me by Dixie Kline Richardson. It was originally published in the Spencer Evening World on January 16, 1978. The text is self explanatory. However- until today the writer was unknown. I was able to use information from census records and cross match with marriage records and determine that this journal was written by- Rosa M. Brown b. April 30, 1888. She was the daughter of Henry Brown and Almedia Carpenter. She later was married to George R. Coffey on July 27, 1912. The families resided in the Clay Township area of Owen County. The first two paragraphs are written by Dixie Kline Richardson. A 1905 JOURNAL Roberta Hawkins of Spencer, who sprouted from the Clay township Coffeys gave me some papers from her father's belongings. Among them was a little notebook put out by a patent medicine company with the usual cures for biliousness, fevers, female complaints, etc. On the blank pages were handwritten notes- by whom isn't known- but the year is 1905. It reads very much like a diary kept by an adolescent girl. ************************************************************ BEGINNING OF DIARY Went fishing in the afternoon and at night. April 28- fished a greater portioin of the day. April 29- Papa sold old Joe to John Rice, bought Prince off Ben Ranard. Papa and Mama went to town, left me alone, bought a new carpet. Ollie Howard's baby was buried today at Elletsville. My toenail came off today which was mashed the 7th of April. April 30- today is my 17th birthday. Both papa and Ernie blacked my face. Mr. Ranards came here for dinner. May 1- Bill Livingston came for setting eggs. Harvey went to Adkins for setting eggs. May 2- A picture man came and wanted to enlarge our pictures, he even got down upon his knee before mamma and pleaded for the picture. May 3- We are planting our flowers. May 4- Uncle Isaac Noel and Uncle Dick Brown's were here. It rained in afternoon. May 5- Harvey and I went to town. Mr. Decker came here tonight to board. May 6- Rained all morning, Viola, Grace, Flona and I went to exhibition that night at Vernal, went to Dora Brown's for lodging, had to sleep three in a bed. May 7- Mr and Mrs Decker came Sunday afternoon. May 8- rained hard in the afternoon. May 9- Rained part of the day. Mrs. Decker and I took a walk. And always remember when you start to fall a long way, just before you strike the ground, jump and light easy. May 11- Gross boys came over with their music. May 12- Kate came down. May 13- Kate, Harvey and I went to Aunt Alice's, went to church at Union. May 14- went to church at Union, had ice cream in the afternoon. May 15- Today is Harvey's 20th birthday. I blacked his face. This afternoon, papa and I went to Ranards. We baked 28 pies in six days. Mr. Decker eats six pieces of pie and two pieces of cake at one meal. May 26- We finished planting corn. May 28- Harvey and I went to Vernal. May 30- They began making the fill to the bridge.