The 1874 Diary of Ypsi Teen Allie McCullough

Part of a year-long weekly series of excerpts from Ypsilanti teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 diary, from the last year of her life.

You may remember that last week Allie was still not feeling quite well. She took the horses with her girlfriend Carrie and went to pick flowers, and made a rock garden. She skipped school and church last week.

May 29 Fri. It was so very warm in the afternoon that I could not go back to school. Put on as cool clothing as possible. Laid down, went to sleep about an hour. When I awoke the wind was blowing and it was raining. It stopped in time for Lyceum so I went. Was chairman and had some fun (Pinch Bugs).

May 30 Sat. Did quite a little work this morning. Carrie N. came down about three in the afternoon and we took the horses and went to Spencer's Woods for flowers. Had a jolly time. Got home about six o'clock and then went to work and made a rockery and put the vines and flowers in it.

May 31 Sun. Didn't go to church but stayed home all day. Had a very good paper to read.

June 1 Mon. Very cool today. Stayed up to school all noon. Had ever so much fun.

June 2 Tues. There is a show in town. It is show enough to see the people go by for it is upon this ground past our house. Came home from school, found a letter which surprised me very much. Went up to Aunt Lizzie's. Came home and Will insisted upon my going to the show, so I went and stayed to the concert.

[Will is Allie's four-years-older brother, and Marion is her sister, seven years older and a twin to Allie's other sister Mary; click on family tree below for larger image]:



June 3 Wed. Marion brought home her flowers today. They were very nice. Aunt Lizzie and Clara B. were here all the afternoon and stayed to tea. Carrie N. came down. Had a splendid time. She stayed and went up town to get my hat and lace for my cape. Did not go home until almost nine.

June 4 Thurs. Stayed this noon in the Library and Alfred Lucking and J. S. was there too and we had a splendid time. Never want a better time. Have written on my essay. Am afraid that it will not be very good.

June 5 Fri. Intended to go to the Lyceum at the Normal [EMU] and it commenced to rain very hard and did not slack p enough so that we could, so that we could not go. It is perfectly terrible and Will is out in every bit of it. I pity him. Got a letter from Ida tonight.

June 6 Sat. Fixed my shirt waists [blouses] this morning and did several other things. Went up to Carrie N.'s and stayed all the afternoon. Went down to Jennie Carson's and her babe is lovely. Went up town all over and then went to Miss Coe's for Mary and then went up town for her.

The 1874 Diary of Ypsi Teen Allie McCullough

Part of a year-long weekly series of excerpts from Ypsilanti teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 diary, from the last year of her life.

You may remember that last week Allie was still not feeling quite well, and trying and failing to study her Geometry in preparation for going back to school, after being out for some time due to her illness. Will and Allie's father brought in a doctor to check on her.

May 22 Fri. Nothing must do but that Will and Pa must have a doctor so Dr. Patterson came. Gave me a lot of horrid medicine to take every hour of the day; a pill every other hour and it has made me feel horrid sick. Have not cared all day whether I live or die. Ma and Aunty went up to Ann Arbor, had a very nice time. Got back about 4:30.

May 23 Sat. Dressed and went up to Carrie N's. Joe was there and we had a good chat. I stayed until about six. Carrie came down town with me. Saw Mr. VanCleve and almost all of the boys. Miss Pierce came down this morning on her little pony to see me, so I have seen them all. Carrie W. came down town with us. Aunty got me a lovely lavender tie. I went up to the Post Office about dark.

May 24 Sun. Read all of the morning. Wrote in the afternoon. Will M. is upstairs with Will. Aunty is out on the stoop with Pa and Ma. Mary Basom is in the parlor with the girls. I am alone in the sitting room. Wish some of the girls were here to talk with me. Believe I will play on the organ and see if I can dispel this feeling of lonesomeness.

May 25 Mon. Went to school today. All seemed glad to see me. Don't know whether they were or not. Have heard nothing all day but "how pale you look," "How poor you are," and I am tired of that. Mr. Stickland was there, said very little to him and after he went, i found that he had come to bid good-bye. He is going East.

May 26 Tues. Have had me lessons today. It is very warm. Stayed after school a long while. Sung those college songs. Had ever so much fun. Did not get home until quite late. There was a wash woman.

May 27 Wed. Carrie N. came down tonight. We had quite a nice talk. I have written some on my essay for Public Lyceum. It is hard work to write and especially such weather as this. Had a talk in the Library with Alfred Legrand.

May 28 Thurs. Terrible hot. Looked all the afternoon as if it would rain. Has not. Went up to Carrie N's after supper. Had a nice time. Had an introduction to Mr. Canfield. Addressed no more than two sentences to D. (Durbin).

May 29 Fri. It was so very warm in the afternoon that I could not go back to school. Put on as cool clothing as possible. Laid down, went to sleep about an hour. When I awoke the wind was blowing and it was raining. It stopped in time for Lyceum so I went. Was chairman and had some fun (Pinch Bugs).

May 30 Sat. Did quite a little work this morning. Carrie N. came down about three in the afternoon and we took the horses and went to Spencer's Woods for flowers. Had a jolly time. Got home about six o'clock and then went to work and made a rockery and put the vines and flowers in it.

May 31 Sun. Didn't go to church but stayed home all day. Had a very good paper to read.

The 1874 Diary of Ypsi Teen Allie McCullough

Part of a year-long weekly series of excerpts from Ypsilanti teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 diary, from the last year of her life.

You may remember that last week Allie was still not feeling quite well, and fretting that the boys at school would get up their picnic before she was well enough to go. She also was worried that her girlfriend Carrie might be getting sick: "I would not have it for anything."

May 15 Fri. Ma and Marion went down to Gill's and left me all alone to get dinner. It was alright, but I burnt the meat a little but Will said it was first rate. Did up all of the dinner work. About four o'clock Tom and Barnard came from Milford. I had to get dinner for them. They went out to the shop and I got supper. They are to stay all night. Ma got home after supper.

May 16 Sat. It rained this morning. Ma got her teeth. My ear is running yet, have a fearful headache. Miss Carson came over this afternoon. Ma and Marion were gone almost all of the afternoon calling.

May 17 Sun. Felt bad enough all day. Read some. Wrote a letter to Ida and sent her three cards (gave her some good advice).

May 18 Mon. Expected to go to school today, but did not. Read French and find that it makes my head ache fearfully, but if I go to school next week, must get used to the headache, for I shall have to study hard enough. Carrie was down tonight but made a very short call.

May 19 Tues. Joe came down after school. Her visits always cheer me up. I feel ten per cent better. Went out to the gate with her. It is the first time that I have been out since that Friday night. Mrs. M. and son and Miss W. were here and spent the evening. We had quite a nice time. Will brought me some medicine to take.

May 20 Wed. Felt quite a little better today. Dressed and went up town (but with my head done up). Went to Mary's and stayed until supper time. Went home and found Aunt Clara from Detroit. After supper Carrie N. and Joe W. came. We had a splendid time. They think that I look terrible poor. They stayed until after dark.

May 21 Thurs. Have read French and translated some Latin and slept the rest of the time. Have had quite a nice visit with Aunt Clara. Have tried to make myself take up the Geometry to study, but cannot come to it. Am afraid that I shall have a fearful time when I go back to school.

May 22 Fri. Nothing must do but that Will and Pa must have a doctor so Dr. Patterson came. Gave me a lot of horrid medicine to take every hour of the day; a pill every other hour and it has made me feel horrid sick. Have not cared all day whether I live or die. Ma and Aunty went up to Ann Arbor, had a very nice time. Got back about 4:30.

May 23 Sat. Dressed and went up to Carrie N's. Joe was there and we had a good chat. I stayed until about six. Carrie came down town with me. Saw Mr. VanCleve and almost all of the boys. Miss Pierce came down this morning on her little pony to see me, so I have seen them all. Carrie W. came down town with us. Aunty got me a lovely lavender tie. I went up to the Post Office about dark.

May 24 Sun. Read all of the morning. Wrote in the afternoon. Will M. is upstairs with Will. Aunty is out on the stoop with Pa and Ma. Mary Basom is in the parlor with the girls. I am alone in the sitting room. Wish some of the girls were here to talk with me. Believe I will play on the organ and see if I can dispel this feeling of lonesomeness.

You've Got Mail: from Allie M.

Part of a year-long weekly series of excerpts from Ypsilanti teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 diary, from the last year of her life.

You may remember that last week Allie was quite sick with what sounded like a bad ear infection. Her girlfriends Carrie and Joe visited her at her home, but by the end of the week Allie said she felt "very lonesome--am almost crazy."

May 8 Fri. Instead of going to Lyceum as usual, went to bed very early, head and ear pain me as much as ever. If I did not take powders, do not know that [what?] I should have done. Joe came tonight. I saw her and had quite a talk.

May 9 Sat. There have been several callers today. Feel a little better. Carrie did not come. I expected her though.

May 10 Sun. Was quite bad, but better than last week.

May 11 Mon. Joe came down. It is fearful warm. Carrie came and we had a good talk.

May 12 Tues. Have read almost all day. Am improving slowly. Joe came at night.

May 13 Wed. Carrie came down tonight and told me some things of importance, as usual. She is not feeling very well. I am very much afraid that she will be sick. I would not have it for anything. Carrie W. came down after supper. She made a long call. The fire engine came down, watered the house and ground all over.

May 14 Thurs. Joe came again and told me much of school news. Miss Pierce is sick. I guess that they do very much as they please up there. Would give anything if I could go tomorrow night, but of course, I cannot. The boys at school are going to get up a picnic and I am afraid it will be before I can go. Hope not.

May 15 Fri. Ma and Marion went down to Gill's and left me all alone to get dinner. It was alright, but I burnt the meat a little but Will said it was first rate. Did up all of the dinner work. About four o'clock Tom and Barnard came from Milford. I had to get dinner for them. They went out to the shop and I got supper. They are to stay all night. Ma got home after supper.

May 16 Sat. It rained this morning. Ma got her teeth. My ear is running yet, have a fearful headache. Miss Carson came over this afternoon. Ma and Marion were gone almost all of the afternoon calling.

You've Got Mail: from Allie M.

One hundred and thirty-five years ago, Ypsilanti’s Allie McCullough wrote you a letter. A long letter. One year long, detailing the life of a 16-year-old before Facebook, cell phones, and drivers’ licenses. Had she put off writing you, you’d never know her frustrations, hopes, and confidences—her 1874 diary, preserved in the Archives, details the last year of her life.

Over the next year, Dusty Diary will present weekly verbatim transcripts from Allie’s diary. Some entries refer to vanished Ypsilanti events and institutions. That is your opportunity to write back to Allie, by leaving a question in the Comments section below, to which another kind reader likely knows the answer. Some entries seem petty, funny, or poignant--another chance for you to write to Allie in response to her thoughts of over a century ago.

Here begins her letter to you. Click on the images to see Allie's tiny 2 and 1/2 by 3 and 1/2-inch diary up close, including her May 1 entry shown here.

May 1 Fri. Stayed out of school this afternoon and wrote all of the afternoon for the paper and it is just splendid. Got all ready, ate my supper, and Carrie N. came[;] we’re just starting when Joe came. I dressed all in black. We had a pleasant but not very gay social. I read the minutes and then the paper. Everyone seemed to think it was gay.

May 2 Sat. Got up in the morning with a raging headache and ear ache, but did not say anything until almost nine o’clock, then I went to bed. Had a raging fever all day. No dinner, blisters on back and both feet. Carrie N. came down about dark. I felt a little better and had some supper.

May 3 Sun. Ear commenced running in the morning, ached very much all day. They all went riding in the afternoon.

May 4 Mon. Joe came down after school and told me all the news. Seemed to be very sorry I was sick.

May 5 Tues. Ear has been terrible today, but I slept most of the time or rather dozed. The doctor came. He said that it was very bad, one of the worst pain[s] anyone could have. A great deal worse than the tooth ache. Joe and Carrie came, but I was so bad that I could not see them. It almost kills me to have anyone talk or make any noise.

May 6 Wed. Not any of the girls have come today. I feel very lonesome. Am nearly crazy.

May 7 Thurs. Carrie N. was here. I saw her and had a talk, but it made me worse. Joe came, but I could not see her.

May 8 Fri. Instead of going to Lyceum as usual, went to bed very early, head and ear pain me as much as ever. If I did not take powders, do not know that [what?] I should have done. Joe came tonight. I saw her and had quite a talk.

May 9 Sat. There have been several callers today. Feel a little better. Carrie did not come. I expected her though.

Have any questions, reflections, or thoughts? Please leave them in "Comments," below.