12 October 2. First frost. November 5. First snow. December 23. Fannie arrived home for Christmas vacation. 1887 Ages of family. James-53. Martha 43. Fannie 19. Fred 17. Harlan 15. Homer 13. Clara 11. Clayton 7. Jason 5. Florence 1 yr. Fred is attending Selma High School. Clara is attending McMillan School. Clayton starts at McMillan School on January 11th. Fannie returns to Monmouth College on Jan. 12. Harlan and Homer not in school, helping on the farm. January 15. James and Martha observe 20th wedding anniversary. May. Fred finished at Selma High School in May, then helps on farm. June 25. Fannie returns home from Monmouth. September 4. Fred and Harlan go to school at Selma. September 6. Fannie leaves for Monmouth College. September 19. McMillan School opens, Homer, Clayton, Clara attend. November 2. A farewell party for the John Murdocks who are moving to Bloomington, Ind. (He is cousin Anabel’s father). 1888 The family. James 54 and Martha 44. Fannie 20. Fred 18. Harlan 16. Homer 14. Clara 12. Clayton 8. Jason 6. Florence 2. Beginning this year Fannie is at Monmouth College. Fred and Harlan are at high school in Selma. Homer is taking a special short hand course at Cedarville. Clara and Clayton are at McMillan grade school. February 13. Homer starts school at Selma; Fred finished his term at Selma. This winter rather mild, April a good month, able to get plowing done. Potatoes planted early. Started corn planting on May 5. From May 8th to 23 very wet and cool–delaying planting, finally finished May 31. June 1. Sheep shearers cam 1st week in June; 600 sheep were sheared. June 23. Fannie home from Monmouth. August. Thomas MacKenzie comes to Xenia, and to the farm to see Fannie. September 3. Fred leaves home for Monmouth College. Harlan returns to Selma High. September 24. McMillan school opens with Fannie as the teacher. Clara, Clayton and Jason attending there. October 3. A heavy frost. October 7. Homer and Harlan go to Selma High November 9. Florence becomes ill. Get medicine from Dr. Oglesbee. Between Nov. 9 and 18, they did all they could for Florence. She could not retain any food. On November 18th she died at 4:00 p.m. [at the age of 2]. [Note: the entry below was not included in the notes] “....At four o’clock this afternoon our darling little Florence left us. O it was so hard to say good bye. While we gathered around her little bed we wept–the more to know that Fred was not with us–then we remembered that Grandmother Murdock and Aunt Mary were away which added to the sadness. O to think that Florence is gone. ‘?–whose so dark ? is cherished, Where not ?, nor fears invade, ?–ere youth’s first flower had perished, to a youth that ne’er can fade.”
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