Sarah Jane Norton Diaries: Arrived in Ypsilanti

In the spring of 1864, 24-year-old Sarah Jane Norton, her 28-year-old husband Austin, and the couple's infant son Charlie emigrated from Sharon Springs, New York, to Ypsilanti. Sarah kept a diary over the next 43 years until her death in November of 1906. Her 1864 diary will be serialized here during 2012. To see all entries to date, see the "Sarah Jane Norton" tag at bottom.

At left she is pictured in 1888 at age 49. Introduction to the Norton family.

3/11/1864: Ma is not very well she has pain in her head a great deal she has grown some fleashey since she left Sharon

3/12/1864: Ypsilanti is a very pleasand palce our nicely situated our folks are very nicely situated

3/13/1864: Aut took care of Charlie and the rest of us went to Church We did not any of us go this evning

3/14/1864: Washed. Ma took care of Chalie

3/15/1864: I am making Aut some blue shirts to work in he thinks he cannot get work here. We were vaxinated to day. there is a good many cases of the smallpox

3/16/1864: [no entry]

3/17/1864: Father Aut and I went to Aunt Lucindas this forenoon we did not intend to stay long but they would have us stay untill after dinner Charlie and ma stayed home

These diaries were written by Sarah Jane Norton and are the property of the Norton Family. They may be used and reproduced for genealogical and historical purposes only. No commercial use is allowed without the express, written permission of Dennis Norton and no charge may be made for, nor income derived from their use.