Hiram E. Leonard Diary, March 23 - 29, 1876
“23rd Thursday A cloudy disagreeable day & the roads verry bad I did my choars was at the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed about 9 badly afflicted with the rheumatism snowed tonight Bradley Grover & Miss Etta Raynolds were married this afternoon at her fathers R S S Reynolds by Elder Cheany the Methodist Minester.
“24th Friday About 4 to 6 inches of snow on the ground & snowed more or less all day & part of tonight & wet nasty snow storm & roads verry bad I did my choars was at the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed about 9 badly afflicted with the rheumatism.
“25th Saturday rather a disagreeable day with some snow squalls & grew more cool towards night I did my choars was at the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed at about 9 nearly sick with the rheumatism etc Snowed some about every day this week & verry disagreeable weather & bad roads wind in a cold quarter the most of the time if the snow had been dry we should had from a foot to 18 inches of snow.
“26th Sunday A beautiful day overhead but the ground is covered with snow & the roads muddy & bad I did my choars went to the farm came back & was at home the rest of the day writing some & choaring some went to bed about 9 nearly sick with the rheumatism & a cold Caroline went to meeting in forenoon & afternoon & Willa went in afternoon Elder Shiler preached in forenoon & Chiena preached in afternoon Mrs Lewis Munk went to Naperville this morning & went to Chicago on the milk train.
“27th Monday cloudy muddy disagreeable weather I did my choars was at the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed at 9 nearly sick with the rheumatism Mrs Mary P Chambers, she that was Mary P Mathers had a son born this morning or today.
“28th Tuesday cool nasty muddy disagreeable day with snow on the ground I did my choars was at the office all day closed up at 8 & went to bed at 9 afflicted with rheumatism.
“29th Wednesday Snow squalley disagreeable weather the roads verry muddy & bad I did my choars was at the office all day closed up at 8 and went to bed at 9 nearly tiered out.”