Delia Locke (née Hammond) was born in 1832 in Abington, Massachusetts. She married Dr. Dean Jewett Locke in 1855, and moved to California with him into the settlement that would become the town of Lockeford (Delia came up with the name in 1859).
In that same year, she started writing a diary, which she would keep up until her death in 1923. She recorded which visitors came to the house, church sermons, her children growing up, and other events happening in the town.
Delia and Dean had thirteen children, all of whom grew up to be healthy adults. This was quite remarkable for the time, as child mortality rates in the US were between 315 and 370 deaths per 1000 births (of children aged 0-5).1
The diary entries I’m sharing today are from 23 - 29 October 1884, when Delia was 52 years old. As is the case with almost all of Delia’s diary entries, these include temperature recordings from sunrise (T.S.R.) and sunset (S.S.).
Oct. 23. Thursday. Have written to Horace and sent to him the photos of Luther, Alice and Susie Pascoe, which he will be delighted to get. Have received letters from Ada and Eunice. The lathing in the new part of the house is now done ready for plastering. The building has progressed exceedingly slow, and it looks now as if we should not get into the new kitchen this winter. (T.S.R. 46. 2 P.M. 80. S.S. 72.)
Oct. 24. Friday. Have not received, as I should, an answer to my last letter to Philadelphia doctors, and so on account of the urgency of my symptoms, I have written again. I have such bad nights, asthma and faint spells, that I get very poor rest. Mr. McCloud and Lula called today. (T.S.R. 52. 2 P.M. 80. S.S. 70.)
Oct. 25. Saturday. Have written to Ada and Eunice. Have received a call from Mrs. Russem. She has been visiting her daughter Mary and had Mary's little boy, Homer Hoyt with her. (T.S.R. 47. 2 P.M. 74. S.S. 64.)
Oct. 26. Sabbath. This afternoon, Mr. Pascoe and Ida went to Roland's and Mr. Pascoe baptized their three children, Bertie, Georgie and Stella. Rebecca has been wishing for a long time to have this done, but her health has been poor since Edna died, and she has not feel able to bring them to church. Received letter from Horace. (T.S.R. 45. 2 P.M. 75. S.S. 65.)
Oct. 27. Monday. Have written to Mrs. Gray and received a letter from Willie. The plasterers commenced work on the new kitchen. (T.S.R. 47. 2 P.M. 77. S.S. 67.)
Oct. 28. Tuesday. The afternoon was cloudy. A very sad thing has happened in our neighborhood, and that is the marriage. clandestinely, of Amelia Bruml to Tom Daly. No one about here is informed of the date, but sometime last summer, some think as early as June, she went to San Francisco, ostensibly to visit friends, he followed her there, and without her parents knowledge or consent, they were married. Then she came home, and kept the secret to herself, often meeting him at his room in his own house, still hiding it from her parents, who supposed she was visiting Kate Carroll. As she was seen often going to his room in the evening, suspicious against her character for purity began to be whispered about, and at last were reported to her parents, and then the dreadful secret was revealed to them. They are well nigh crazy about it. She, their only daughter, their pride and pet, to be united with a man of such low character, and not a Jew. Mr. Pascoe and Ida have talked with Mrs. B. and she says it is the same to them as if she were dead, only so much worse. By the law of their religion, she is now cast off and disinherited, and can never be permitted to inter their house again. "And she is all the daughter we have", she moans over and over again. It does seem unaccountable strange, that one so well brought up, and educated at Mill's Seminary could grieve so kind and tender parents. We can only for Daly's influence over her, as we do for the fascination which the venomous snake throws about the helpless bird, which brings it completely under its control. O how, through sad years, she will repent this rash and unreasonable marriage. (T.S.R. 52. 2 P.M. 75. S.S. 72.)
1884. Oct. 29. Wednesday. Received letters from Eunice and Ada. (T.S.R. 47. 2 P.M. 76. S.S. 66.)
All of Delia’s diaries can be found here (manuscript scans with transcriptions).
Gilbert: Locke diaries reveal family's travails, an article about Delia and one of her great-granddaughters.
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