DIY History | Transcribe | Iowa Women’s Lives: Letters and Diaries | Iowa Byington Reed diary, January 1, 1916-December 12, 1919

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Iowa Byington Reed diary, January 1, 1916-December 12, 1919

Page 215

Wednesday December 11th 1918
I did not sleep at all and was not able to get 
up. Dr Smith came over to see me. Mr Ellis was 
here. Ott, Rob & Cora went to select a casket for 
Will and see about other things. Many friends 
called in the afternoon. Some came to my room.
There were telegrams and messages.
Thursday December 12th 1918
I slept some last night. The family rested by 
turns. They put Will in his casket early in the 
forenoon. Rob & Cora went up home to get some 
of the things needed to dress him. How fine he 
looked. The funeral was at two oclock. Mr Ellis who 
he liked so well said what there was to say. A few 
carriages with horses as he would have liked took 
him and us to the cemetery where we left him. 
There was a little mist of rain in the afternoon. 
Mollie Sterns staid all night. Ott & Fannie with 
Rob & Cora spent the evening with us. This was 
Mary Woolf birthday and 20 years since we buried Edith. 
None of the friends we sent for could come to us now.
Friday December 13th 1918
It was a rainy gloomy day. I lived through the 
day as best I could. Hattie and Mollie busy. I 
talked some with them, and was up stairs alone part 
of the time. Mrs Dow came in the afternoon. The folks all here 
in the evening. Ott and I talked up stairs. I am getting 
many letters. I have that pain again. It is hard to bear.

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Wednesday December 11th 1918 I did not sleep at all and was not able to get up. Dr Smith came over to see me. Mr Ellis was here. Ott, Rob & Cora went to select a casket for Will and see about other things. Many friends called in the afternoon. Some came to my room. There were telegrams and messages. Thursday December 12th 1918 I slept some last night. The family rested by turns. They put Will in his casket early in the forenoon. Rob & Cora went up home to get some of the things needed to dress him. How fine he looked. The funeral was at two oclock. Mr Ellis who he liked so well said what there was to say. A few carriages with horses as he would have liked took him and us to the cemetery where we left him. There was a little mist of rain in the afternoon. Mollie Sterns staid all night. Ott & Fannie with Rob & Cora spent the evening with us. This was Mary Woolf birthday and 20 years since we buried Edith. None of the friends we sent for could come to us now. Friday December 13th 1918 It was a rainy gloomy day. I lived through the day as best I could. Hattie and Mollie busy. I talked some with them, and was up stairs alone part of the time. Mrs Dow came in the afternoon. The folks all here in the evening. Ott and I talked up stairs. I am getting many letters. I have that pain again. It is hard to bear.