Hiram E. Leonard Diary, April 29 - May 5, 1874

“29th Wednesday  cold dry backward weather  I did my choars was round the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed about 9 tiard & about sick with a cold.

“30th Thursday  cold dry backward weather  I did my choars was round the office all day closed up at 8 and went to bed at 9 tiard & sick with a cold & the rheumatism  Simeon Billings & wife were over today, Elder Wanosdale was ordained today at Baptist Church.

“May 1st Friday  cold cloudy backward weather  I did my choars was round the office all day closed up at 8 and went to bed at 9 sick with the rheumatism & a cold  J K Pollards wife died today, George Sidwell commenced white washing the store today.

“2nd Saturday  A cold cloudy backward day for May, sprinkled in evening  I did my choars was round the office the most of the day closed up at 8 & went to bed at 9 nearly sick with rheumatism  Albert Jones house burned up tonight took fire about 11 as they were a going to bed he saved some of the bedding etc.

“3rd Sunday  A cold cloudy damp morning & rained more or less all the forenoon  I did my choars was round home the most of the day went to bed about 9 nearly sick with a cold & the rheumatism  E P Macks childrens funeral sermon was preached today at the Methodist Church at 10 ½ AM by a Unaversalist Minaster from Aurora.

The gravestones of three of the EP and Maria Mack children who all died in the winter of 1874. Tragically, Charlotte (age 28), George (age 25) and Jonathan (age 15) died during in January and February of a bad flu outbreak of that year.

“4th Monday  A fine cool day for the season  I did my choars was round the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed about 9 tiard & nearly sick  Old goos hatched out 4 wild goslings & 2 eggs were rotten  George & I were cleaning store some.

“5th Tuesday  fine weather but pretty cold for May  freezes a nights  I did my choars was round the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed at 9 tiered & nearly sick with a cold  Gosling were off & out of the nest before I got up  George cleaning store.”