Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — December 20–31, 1884

After almost a year here is another installment in the journal of Ann Prior Jarvis. This deals mostly with the weather and with family matters including the birth of her granddaughter Josephine Jarvis Milne. I had to smile at her note on December 31, "The last day of the old year good luck to it."

Josephine Jarvis Milne and her younger brother.

Sat 20  Weather cloudy

Sun 21  Weather dull I went to meeting and heard a snowstorm took Em for a ride had rather a bad night Brig come home

Mon 22  Weather cloudy was bad the after part of the [unfinished]

Tus 23  Weather bright beautiful sunshine It ought to be a bright day as it is Joseph Smith birthday there will be a Party to night to celebrate his natal day he would be seventy nine if he had lived untill to day

Wed 24

Thur 25  Weather raining spent Christmas with Thomas & Em

Friday 26  George had the buggy to get the Doctoress to Eleanor

Sat 27 Weather ^Fine Fine^ George has the buggy to fetch and take the doctor^Ss^ Father got me a new black dress Brig came home last night

Sun 28  Weather cloudy attended Meeting had a good sermon from Bro Snow

Mon 29  Went to the Sunday School party in the afternoon went to the first ward party at night Anne had a new baby weighed eleven pounds

Thus 30  went to the relief society was to late they had dismis^s^ed

Wed 31  the last day of the old year good luck to it

Notes

George — Remember when she says "George" she means her son. "Father" means her husband, George.

Doctoress — That's what it says! I have no idea what she means. Eleanor had a gap in children for a few years around this time, so could she mean the midwife, and Eleanor was having a late miscarriage or stillbirth? Eleanor was in very bad health from a heart condition, so she could also mean the traditional doctor, but I can't think of a female doctor that would have been practicing in St. George at this time. (Or for many, many years.)

New Baby — Josephine Jarvis Milne Hamblin (1884–). Josephine and her husband Edwin O. Hamblin took care of her mother Anne for many years after she went blind and aged.