Most of Edna's diaries are small neatly bound leather covered books. However, her first diaries 1902, 1903, 1910, are incomplete as they are written in one large school-type notebook (tablet paper). Missing are the years 1904 through 1909. Her 1902 diary ends March 31, but picks up again in February 1903. The tablet ends with the year 1910--the year they built their new house.
It is important to note that sometime around 1902 Edna, her husband James "Howard" and their little four year old boy Bertie (Gilbert Samuel Harriman) traveled to Lebanon, Missouri for a family reunion. There, this wonderful photograph was taken with his brothers, sisters, and mother Mary Elizabeth (Stevens)Harriman (center)
Top-left:
Walter Ray Harriman
Nettie Viola Harriman
Francis Marion Harriman
Benjamin Hollandsworth and his wife Pearl Ellen (Harriman) Hollandsworth
John William Harriman
Harley Harriman
Seated-left:
James Howard Harriman and his wife Edna Irene (Snow) and their son Gilbert Samuel Harriman
Seated-Center:
Mary Elizabeth Stevens Harriman
To the right of Mary Elizabeth:
Anna Leota (Harriman) Butts and her husband James Butts and their son Ray
Right-front:
Verna Marie (Harriman) Mills
Sunday February 22, 1903– Fine day. We spend the day up home. Ma and I went to church. They boys worked at the mill. Mrs. S. Junk died at 7:30 o’clock tonight.
Monday February 23, 1903 – Howard and I went up town. Uncle and Aunt Sperry came to Pa this morning. I went up and called on Myrtle. Celia and Frank were at home for dinner. I came home and cleared up the parlor and bedrooms. Weather, cloudy and gloomy.
Tuesday February 24, 1903 – I am trying to get my churning done and sick to. We meet to practice tonight for the funeral. A double quartet. Amos Hinchcliff, Jim Epperson, Mary Deatherage, myself, Mrs. Gillis, Agnes Weir, Charles Weir and Will.
Note:
Will mentioned above is Edna's brother William Douglas Snow.
Wednesday February 25, 1903 – A beautiful day, but nasty underfoot. A large crowd at the funeral. All seemed to be all right. Uncle and Aunt took the train this evening, and Ma and I went over the stayed all night at Franks. She seems to feel worse.
Thursday February 26, 1903 – We got home late. This morning Howard is trimming hedge. Wills were here for dinner. A pretty day. I feel tired.
Friday February 27, 1903 – A nice day. I cleaned upstairs and got my carpet rags tore up and feel weary. But I’m not sorry it is done. Libbie Epperson baby is 1 week old, born 20th.
Saturday February 28, 1903 – A stormy day, trying to snow. I’m not doing anything extra today, but housework.
Sunday March 1, 1903 – A pretty day overhead, but windy and terrible roads. We didn’t go anywhere, but are trying to keep warm and read and write letters.
Monday March 2, 1903 – A nice day. I washed, ironed, and tried to sew. Am tired tonight.
Tuesday March 3, 1903 – A cloudy day. Howard’s birthday. 30 years old today. Pa and Ma came for dinner. Celia is not feeling good today. The boys butchered hogs today.
Wednesday March 4, 1903 – A bad day. Marv and Carrie Haines 6th wedding day. Frank Witherspoon baby’s funeral. It was buried at Rio Cemetery. We tended to our meat. Mamie and Sam Bowersmith are at Pa’s. Came last night.
Thursday March 5, 1903 – A rain day. Staying at home. Howard is getting harness and I’m trying to bake and keeping from getting glooming [gloomy].
Friday March 6, 1903 – Another day. At home trying to keep the mud out.
Saturday March 7, 1903 – A better day. Cleared off about noon and think it will stay clear. We had a rain storm last night and think it will settle the roads. We just heard that Uncle Johnny Matthews died at 7 o’clock this evening.
Sunday March 8, 1903 – We went over to Franks today, walked, and found them reasonable. Spending the evening writing letters.
Monday March 9, 1903 – A nice wash day. I’m awful tired. Washed, ironed too.
Tuesday March 10, 1903 – We went to Uncle John Mathew’s funeral. I sang. A terrible day. The sun came out in the evening.
Wednesday March 11, 1903 – A foggy morning. Trying to do general housework.
Thursday March 12, 1903 – A foggy morning. Baking and housework.
Friday March 13, 1903 – A lovely warm day. Sewed carpet rags in the forenoon, and walked over to Celia’s after dinner. So nice and warm.
Saturday March 14, 1903 – A cool day. Doing Saturday’s work and sewing carpet rags.
Sunday March 15, 1903 – We went up home. A cold windy day, but nice sunshine. Ma and I went to church and then went down to see Libbie’s baby afternoon. Mamie Bowersmith and her man came back to Pa’s house tonight.
Monday March 16, 1903 – I washed and entertained company. Pa and Ma and Mamie were here; didn’t accomplish much today.
Tuesday March 17, 1903 – A lovely day. Warm enough to be a summer day. We all went up to Pa’s and helped Ma sew the most of her rags. Set a hem and done the most of my ironing this evening.
Wednesday March 18, 1903 – A nice day. I have been over to Frank’s all night. They have a fine 11 lb. boy-baby at their house, born 25 minutes to 5 o’clock this morning. Celia is resting easy when I left. I am quite lame and haven’t done much.
Thursday March 19, 1903 – A stormy day. I went over and stayed with Celia. She is weak, but we expected she would be. Word received of Jim Graham’s death.
Friday March 20, 1903 – A clear day. Churned and housework. I went over to Maydie’s this afternoon.
Saturday March 21, 1903 – A windy day. I am trying to hurry my work, so I can go practice for the funeral tomorrow at 10:30 o’clock at the CongChurch.
Sunday March 22, 1903 – A sunshiny day. A terrible crowd, didn’t all get into the church. Will, _______, [unreadable], Schroeder, Amos and Tillie Hinchcliff , Agnes, Dora Gillis, and myself done the singing.
Monday March 23, 1903 – A stormy day snowing quite hard. Baked and sewing carpet rags.
Tuesday March 24, 1903 – A cold day. General housework, finished sewing carpet rags. Not very well.
Wednesday March 25, 1903 – A cold day, done a big washing. I went over to Franks. Lu Ella Mead came to stay all night.
Thursday March 26, 1903 – A fine day. Finished ironing, and cleaned parlor and bedrooms. Tired.
Friday March 27, 1903 – A stormy day. Churned and general housework.
Saturday March 28, 1903 – A nice day. Finished cleaning upstairs and woodshed. Went over to Celia’s.
Sunday March 29, 1903 – A cool, nice day. At home, take care of Howard’s leg. Black Dolly kicked him.
Monday March 30, 1903 – A windy wash day. Washed and did general housework. Bertie went to school.
Tuesday March 31, 1903 – A windy day. Ironed and baked. Pa and Ma were out getting my kitchen painted. Teacher called.
Wednesday April 1, 1903 – A nice day. I painted my pantry, went over to Franks afternoon. Bertie stayed all day at school today. Came home and cleaned dooryard. Tired.
Thursday April 2, 1903 – A windy day. Trying to finish general house work, churned and ironing.
Friday April 3, 1903 – A stormy day. Snowing and trying to be a stormy mean day. Rained in the night and ground white with snow. Quite cool.
Saturday April 4, 1903 – A cool day. Doing housework. They boys came over and played with Bertie.
Sunday April 5, 1903 – A windy bad day. We went home and went to church. Carrie and Morten newcomers join the Congregational Church today. Not a large crowd.
Monday April 6, 1903 – A bad day. My 25th birthday. I wonder how many more birthdays I will live on earth. I hope they may be easier and lighter than some of them, although I am quite thankful.
Tuesday April 7, 1903 – A cool day. Iron, baked, and feeling well.
Wednesday April 8, 1903 – A warm day. Nothing extra today.
Thursday April 9, 1903 – A windy day. Mrs. Bessie Straub’s 24th birthday. Wonder how she is spending the day.
Friday April 10, 1903 – A stormy day. Trying to clean up and keep dry.
Saturday April 11, 1903 – A cool day. A bit some nicer than yesterday.
Sunday April 12, 1903 – A rainy Easter. We went up home, but we had stayed at home.
Monday April 13, 1903 – A terrible day. Trying to do housework and keep busy.
Tuesday April 14, 1903 – A terrible day.
Wednesday April 15, 1903 – A terrible day. Went up home and worked with my dress. An awful railroad accident up by Opheim. Two railroad engineers killed and several others hurt.
Thursday April 16, 1903 – A nice day. We are glad to see the sunshine once more, everyone talking of the wreck. Washed today.
Friday April 17, 1903 – A nice day. I am feeling most awful bad to day. Trying to iron, churn, and make garden.
Saturday April 18, 1903 – A nice day, general housework. Baby Mead 1 month old.
Sunday April 19, 1903 – A shower day. We were up home today. Frank’s folks were up today. The first time Celia has been out since baby came.
Monday April 20, 1903 – A nice wash day. I done a big washing, baked and tired.
Tuesday April 21, 1903 – A cool day. Not much news.
Wednesday April 22, 1903 – A nice day. Cleaned my sitting room. May came out and helped.
Thursday April 23, 1903 – A fine day. Society meeting at mother’s today. Piecing quilts.
Friday April 24, 1903 – A stormy day. Not much, only housework.
Saturday April 25, 1903 – A cold day, trying to finishing housecleaning etc. Madye is in the Burg today.
Sunday April 26, 1903 – A nice sunshiny day. We are at home preparing to go to the timber.
Monday April 27, 1903 – A nice windy day. I washed. Mother brought her wash out. We washer her dining room carpet.
Tuesday April 28, 1903 – A windy day. Mother went to Galesburg today. I washed the buggy.
Wednesday April 29, 1903 – A nice day. I’m baking and churning. Getting read to help Ma.
Thursday April 30, 1903 – A stormy day. Been up home papered her dining room and her carpet down and things back in. I am tired.
Friday May 1, 1903 – A nice day. Nothing only housework and mending.
Saturday May 2, 1903 – a nice day. Baking and getting ready for tomorrow.
Sunday May 3, 1903 A nice day. Went up home. The minister is there. Went to church. Wills folks were up there too.
Monday May 4, 1903 - A windy day. I didn’t wash today. Went to the “Ideal Entertainer” had a great time.
Tuesday May 5, 1903 – A cloudy day. I washed and baked, etc.
Wednesday May 6, 1903 – A coolly day. Ironed, churned and general housework.
Thursday May 7, 1903 – A warm day. Went over and helped Celia paper.
Friday May 8, 1903 – A windy day. Papered hall and bedroom.
Saturday May 9, 1903 – A windy day. General housework.
Sunday May 10, 1903 – A hot day. Spent the day at Franks. Ma and Pa were there. Ma is sick.
Monday May 11, 1903 – A hot day. Washed, cleaned hen house. Set out plants.
Tuesday May 12, 1903 – A hot day. Ironed, baked and etc.
Wednesday May 13, 1903 – A hot day. Tried to rest up and get a fresh start.
Thursday May 14, 1903 – A hot day. Went up to school afternoon, being the last day.
Friday May 15, 1903 – A hot day. Everybody getting ready for picnic.
Saturday May 16, 1903 – A hot day. Went to picnic and sick today.
Sunday May 17, 1903 – A windy day. Spent the day at John Locklin’s. Had a nice time.
Monday May 18, 1903 – A windy day. Wash day.
On same page, March entries, dates unknown as follows:
March 9 – Went up to town and went over to Mrs. Tom Epperson’s and got her female bird.
March 25 – Birds mated today for sure.
March 27 – Birds mated again today.
Next page is marked Year 1910 – August
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