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DIARY KEPT IN JAMES' and son BOB, ARCH & BERTHA'S FAMILY Oct 1, 1909-July 20, 1914 (1912 continued)
Irene Jackson, Vernon, B.C. has the original diary written in pencil in a scribbler. James Murray lived with Bob & Arch after Mary Jane's death, 14 Jan 1908.

Ialeen Colwell of Calgary copied the following excerpts from the diary. Her comments are in brackets.
(Always referred to Agnes as Mrs. Phillips or Nan. Other entries included a lot of hauling wood & hay, looking for cattle, breaking and clearing brush, cutting rails, branding, etc.)

(Missing sections: Jan 29, 1912 to June 1, 1912 - Bob's death was Jun 23, 1912).

1912
Jan 6 Nan got boy (Agnes Phillips son Jimmy) (Missing entries from Jan 28 to June 1)
Jun.1 Bob sick (3 days)
6 Janet came down to help.
7 Father went to Dr. Clark's. Fixed spring.
9 Went to church. Jonathan here.
10 Bob & Bertha went to Calgary. Jack went to Bob's trial. (No entries for 11 days).
23 Robert died in Calgary Hospital.
24 Bertha came home with Father & Arch from Calgary.
25 Mother & Earl, Mr. & Mrs. Moore here.
26 Robert buried Hainstock cemetery (no entries 3 days)
30 Phillips & Earl & Leslie here.

Jul.1 Jack working at his house.
2 Arch went to Clark's.
11 Stella Warren married.
19 Cut poles for the stable. Arch hurt his back.
26 Jack & Arch working on the roads. Bella, Bertha & George picking currents

Aug.1 Leslie & Mother started for the east. Bertha went to Phillips.
2 Jack put windows in his house.
17 Arch & Bertha & Ada went to town. George at Phillips
18 Grampa, Bertha & children at church. Arch went for the bull.
24 Arch went to Olds for Jack & Nellie (from B.C.)
25 Sunday Phillips here.
27 Mowing this afternoon. Jack & Nellie at Phillips.
Sept. 1 Sunday. Arch & Bertha took Nellie & Jack to Olds. Bertha doing a tremendous amount of canning.
16 Roberts birthday. Arch took Bertha, Earl & children to Olds in afternoon.

17 Viola & Janet here.

Oct.1 Bertha went to Phillips and got Arch's fur coat.
13 Sunday, we went to Sunday school. Ada sore eyes.
14 George started to school. (Bertha & Bob's son)
16 Father sore foot, went to Clarks. Bella & Mamie here sewing (Mary Jane or Mame Craig?)
18 Ada still has sore eyes & father has sore foot. Dr. & Mrs. Clark here. (Arch & Bertha writing diary again)
21 Father got his foot lanced.

Nov.1 Mrs. Phillips & Mamie here. Stacking grain at Jack's.
3 Sunday, Arch, George & father went to Sunday school. Father hurt his foot again.
8 Bertha & Ada went to Phillips.
10 Sunday. Phillips & Mrs. Gathercole & Rob Cook here.
12 Bella & Jack at Berkleys & Phillips threshing.
13 Arch & Jack at Phillips threshing.
19 Mr. & Mrs. Phillips here in the afternoon.
Nov.27 Milton Campbell here for dinner & supper. Arch went for oats & barley to Phillips.
29 Bella & Bertha at Phillips in the afternoon. Pollocks here for dinner.
30 Fixing stable, cold & windy.Grandpa's foot very sore.

Dec.1 Sunday home all day. Grandpa's foot better.
7 Arch & Bertha at Adairs & Phillips.
10 Bertha white-washed the dining room.
12 Arch & Bertha at Adairs threshing. Arch has sore back.
25 Christmas day Mr. & Mrs. Echlin & Olive here. Father's foot very sore.
29 Father, Mother Leslie & Olive started for the east. (Echlins)

1913
Jan.1 New Year's grandpa's foot very sore.
2 Dr. & Mrs. Clark & Dr. Steven's to see Mr. Murray's foot.
3 Hauling straw & doing chores. Phillips here.
5 Jack (Bella) went to Olds for his brother Jim. (who married Mollie)
9 Grandpa's foot very sore.
10 Grandpa's foot very sore.
12 Mrs. Campbell & Mrs. Phillips here.
Grandpa a little better.
13 Phillips here for load of wood.
15 Grandpa's foot very sore.
19 Grandpa's foot very sore.
21 Granspa's foot very bad. Mrs. Phillips & Mrs.Berkley here.
22 Mrs. Clark & Bella here. Arch went to Olds to see the doctor.
27 Jack Murray (Nellie) here from B.C. fixing up the chopping outfit.

Feb.2 Mr. Mein, Mr. Adshead, Mrs. Phillips, Mamie & Janet here.
3 Stormy cold, Mrs. Clark here stop all night. Grandpa very bad.
4 Mrs. Berkley stayed all night.
5 Phillips here. Mr. & Mrs. Adair stopped all night.
6 Mr. & Mrs. Morphy stop all night.
9 Grandpa very sick. Mr. & Mrs. Main & Mr. & Mrs. Phillips.
16 Mrs. Warren, Phillips, & Clarks, Grandpa not so well.
25 Arch took Aunt Mamie to Olds. Mrs. Clark here. 4 cows died - cold.


Mar.16 Mr. Echlin, Mr. & Mrs. Phillips here. Grandpa's foot sore.
17 Ada's birthday. Grandpa not very well.
19 Grandpa is bad. Arch went for Mrs. Clark.
20 Grandpa a little better.
23 Phillips, Adairs, Mrs. Clark & George & Mr. Strong here to see Mr. Murray. Grandpa worse.
24 Grandpa very sick.
25 Bella Mien here working. Mr. Berkley stayed all night. Grandpa very sick.
26 Grandpa very sick. J. Phillips stayed all night
Apr 1 Steer April fooled Jack & Bob Cook. Arch enumerating.
6 Mr. & Mrs. Mein & Mr. & Mrs. Phillips here. Bertha has sore side.
7 Mrs. Clark here, Grandpa very bad.
8 Mrs. Welsh here all night. Grandpa very bad.
10 Mr. & Mrs. Cook & Phillips here.
13 Jack's brother George here (Jack m Bella; George m Winnie)
18 Bertha's side a little better.
28 Grandpa's foot sore.

May. 4 Sunday. Mr. Adshead, Mamie & Janet. George & George Craig here.
7 The sow put her nose through grandpa's window.
12 Grandpa very sick Jack went for Mrs. Clark.
18 Mr. & Mrs. Phillips here.
24 Bertha had tooth ache.
25 Mr. & Mrs. Phillips here.
26 Bertha sick. Arch & Jack ploughing lower field.
27 Bertha some better. Mamie here doing the washing.

June.23 One year ago today since Robert died.
24 Grandpa very bad. Janet & Mrs. Phillips here.

July. 5 Hired George (b1903 age 10) at 50c per month to get cows home. Jack & Bella came home.
16 Arch & Bertha to Olds. Bertha got some teeth drawn.
26 Jim & Gertie & family here.
27 Sunday. Phillips & Vina Murray. Mrs. Bliss, G. Craig. Making ice cream.
30 Lily Mein got 1 pair shoes $2.50, corsets $1.50, kiss 25c, stocking 30c.

Aug. 3 Mr. Bames, George & Willie Phillips here. Will Reid here.
13 Arch & Bertha went to Olds. Bertha got some teeth out. Ada saw Dr. about her eyes.

Sept.14 We all went to Dr. Clarks.
19 All the men went shooting & Arch & Bertha went to town.

Oct.29 Jack at Phillips threshing.
Nov.2 Nellie Murray here.
16 Echlins & Grandpa went to church & Phillips here.
17 Bertha & Mamie went to Olds, Mother & Grandpa & children at Phillips.
Dec.19 Berrydale Christmas tree.
25 Grandpa very poorly.
28 Sunday. Mr. Morphy, & Phillips children & Queenie & Mrs. Clark here.

1914
Jan.1 Father here for New Year's dinner.
8 Vera born (not listed-no entries for 7 days).
17 Hauling Hay. Grandpa very poorly.
18 Mrs. Gathercole, Phillips & Mein here.

Feb.7 Queenie Reid went away.
9 Mr. & Mrs. Echlin started for the east. Arch has sore back.
22 Mr. & Mrs. Mein here. The baby sick (Vera? or Ada b1910-age 3.)

Mar.22 Grandpa went to church.
Apr.4 Grandpa very sick.
19 Sunday. Fighting fire.
May. 6 All away to Mamie's wedding.
June 6 Bella went to Edmonton. Arch went to Olds to meet Jim
7 Sunday - Grandpa's birthday. Mr. Echlin here.

Jul. 3 Arch, Bertha & children came home from Calgary.
4 Ada very sick. Dr. Hartman here.
5 Ada sick. Dr. Stevens here. Grandpa got his toes taken off. Ada taking whooping cough.
13 Lily Mein went away & Kate Pretty came here to work.
20 Men went away to put up hay. Jack went to town with cream.
(Last entry)
(James Murray died Feb 15 1915 age 83)
*Authors Note
Copyright Mrs. Ialeen (LaMarsh) Colwell
Source Volume 1 Murray Descendants, From Northumberland to Murray Valley, Alberta
by Mrs. Ialeen (LaMarsh) Colwell Calgary AB 2002

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Social events included garden parties.
1910
Murray Valley, Olds, NWT Canada