L. A. Miller Diary of 1919
(Excerpted by Fred Lindley)
Jan. 1: ...I attended the K of P lodge this PM, as one of the Auditing Committee, I helped audit the books, after lodge...
Jan. 3: At home, digging away at chores and books. Millions are dying a slow death from cold and hunger in Europe. After the Great War comes awful truce, I fear.
Jan. 6: ...Mr. Ed Dome of Collinsville, Ohio left for Alabama this AM. I had intended going with him and he and I were going on to Ocala, but Biz prevented me from going at this time. I have 40 acres near Ocala that I should be looking after soon...Teddy Roosevelt, ex-president, died. The death of Col. Teddy Roosevelt is a national calamity. A wonderful American.
Jan. 13: At home this AM getting in some fodder for cow, calf, and horse from the Abry barn, where I stored some last Spring – when I husked it in the field. Last year’s fodder is much better than this year’s...Buried Bro. Fritz Weiss – K of P – this PM.
Jan. 19: No startling news from the World at large. Peace Conference is getting down to biz. Boys are coming home slowly. 1,000 will be left in France & Germany until everything becomes stable and a Peace is signed.
Jan. 21: ...I had a talk with A. Sellers this PM: who has just returned from France.
Jan. 24: ...At home all day, except a trip to above town and back. The man I started to see, I met, or rather he passed me in his auto. I came back
and he passed me again. I hailed him;; but, he did not stop – didn’t want to see me. He owns me $40.
Jan. 26: ...I went out to hear Sergeant Sellers tell of his war experience at the Lutheran Church this evening.
Feb. 1: ...Went to the Oyster Dinner at school house given by the Stock Co. A good session after dinner followed by a speaker on Farm Bureau business. Mr. Harris of Ill. – followed by J.F. Kyger of Ohio – Darrtown, R. 2. “Preach,” as we call him, has developed into a good live speaker.
Feb. 4: I went to Columbus this PM via Hamilton, Ohio. 6:40 PM out of Hamilton / 9:40 PM in Columbus. State conference. Some coming in all night. I met a number of salesmen for different companies in telephone lines.
Feb. 5 and 6: MR. MILLER REPORTED ON THE TELEPHONE CONFERENCE, WHICH MET IN THE HARTMAN HOTEL. HE LEFT COLUMBUS ON THE 2:42 PM TRAIN TO HAMILTON, OHIO. HE ARRIVED IN HAMILTON AROUND 8:30 PM AND STAYED OVERNIGHT.
Feb. 7: I attended to some biz and came home with Geo. O. Manrod this PM. Glad to be home.
Feb. 13: ...The League of Nations seems to be a certainty. Wilson sails for home the 15th according to reports.
Feb. 14: I went to Hamilton, O. and got my reports to Tax & PMC off. Total gross money for 1918 = $1847.73 for the Darrtown Tel. Co.
Feb. 17: ...I went to Oxford & MacSherry and I arranged for Directory. Very satisfactory. I have quite a bunch of advertisers. Something like $55 up to date.
Feb. 20: ...I went to Hamilton, O. with Geo. O. Manrod in Ford auto. I got a pair of shoes I had left at Blumenthals. I attended to other biz and we came home at 5 PM.
Feb. 22: ...I called at W. Buhi’s and made out a paper for Mrs. Peter Muller. This is The Great Am. Holiday. Geo. Washington’s birthday. No mail today, hence, no papers to read.
Feb. 28: At home. Arnold and I still continue at odd times to work on lines (new) north of town to cross roads north and will soon get some finished.
Mar. 3: At home. I went to blacksmith shop and got Dick shod (Collinsville, Oh.) this AM. Will help Mr. Glardon move tomorrow.
Mar. 4: A fine day. So many teams at Fr. Glardon’s moving that I did not take my horse and wagon;; but, went with Fr. McVicker. A big crowd, over 20 teams and 50 people. A good dinner. I came back with Geo. Manrod. Arrived 4 PM.
Mar. 6: A fair day, but cold. Too cold for me to be out;; but, I did go out this PM and we pulled poles and fixed a cross arm at Jos. Davis Corner. I was chilled, when I came home.
Mar. 7: At work on Jerico line;; 2 poles at Chas. Krebs and 1 pole at [?] road. We hauled four poles to Jerico – south of cross roads to replace some old ones.
Mar.9: At home. Barton Smith called this PM to get an obituary written for his mother who passed away March 7. Funeral service to be held tomorrow...will go to Hamilton, Oh. tomorrow with Clem Pfaff to fix up our revenue extension blank.
Mar. 13: At home AM. This PM, I went to Oxford and took up some ads we had to put in the Oxford, Darrtown, & Morning Sun lines. Arnold took me up in auto.
Mar. 23: At home, at switchboard a good part of the time. Did some office work...
Mar. 27: ...I went to Hamilton this PM...We ran off the road on the way down;; but, being a Ford, we set it back on solid ground and away we went.
Mar. 29: I went to Hamilton with Wm. Keppler & Jos. Phenis. I came home with Chas. Wagonfield. We got busy and built a coop for hen and chicks this PM. The folks went to Hamilton this PM. I ran the biz.
Mar. 30: A cold day and fair. At home doing the usual work. Desultory fighting over much of Central Europe. No one here knows the actual conditions that prevail in those God-forsaken, King-ridden countries.
Apr. 8: ...Arnold and I went up to Francis M. Craig’s and installed a telephone;; also, did some work on main line.
Apr. 13: ...Peace terms are being worked out slowly at Paris. In the meantime, Central Europe is aflame with revolution and counter-revolution.
Apr. 15: ...I did some legal work today for Mrs. and Mr. Ed Westfall who deeded Darrtown property to Norma E. & Anna Mae Bufler, who stand between Fr. Bufler, their father, and his biz. Such work should not go. I am one of his [?] to a considerable amount.
Apr. 19: ...This PM, I went to Bethany, O. to attend Pythias meeting. I met a great many old friends & ex-scholars that I taught at Bethany school 1887-1888.
AT THIS POINT, THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE APPEARED...
“I wandered to the village, Tom and sat beneath the tree upon the school house playing ground that sheltered you and me. But, few were left to greet me, Tom And few were left to know, who played with us upon the green some thirty years ago.”
Apr. 25: ...I went to Cinti. this AM & attended to some revenue biz...I came home with my old school mate, Jos. Brate.
May 4: ...Autos are busy today, burning up gas and wearing out rubber tires and oil. 20% of wealth is being put in autos for pleasure.
May 5: At home in AM. We went to Collinsville, O. this PM on wild goose chase to see “tank” army perform;; but, they broke down at Seven Mile, O. and will not be in Collinsville until May 6.
May 6: ...Arnold and I took in the “tank” show at Collinsville, O. A great sight and a good speech followed the show, by an army officer. The Hun met their Waterloo at the hands of America. The tank was too much for them.
May 7: The “Tank Army” showed in Darrtown this AM to 500 people. I watched the exchange and did not see the show or hear the speeches.
May 15: Some planting corn today;; some ground too wet. Arnold and I did some work near Chas. Krebs. I saw two Old Boys this PM doing a [?]. One was riding the horse (saddle on) and the other guiding the plow furrowing out for corn. Both being past 77 years of age. Nathan Flenner and Cornelius Irwin. Class Night Play at Hall this PM.
May 24: ...this PM, I went to Hamilton and got a few beers and a qt. of whiskey for medicinal use. As of today, no more beer or whiskey can be sold in Ohio.
May 25: ...Peace delegates are still in session in Paris. Germany is grumbling at the hard terms. Too easy, I think.
June 1: A hot day. A baseball game in town today. Oxford vs. Darrtown. Score 8 to 2 favor of Darrtown.
June 4: ...Attended K of P lodge this PM. I was elected Sec. Don’t care for the job, but no one feels competent to take it and the boys put me back in the harness.
June 8: A fine day. Nothing doing in the old town today. The boys all went to Reily, O. to play ball. They got beat in the last inning.
June 15: Another hot day & baseball this PM. Darrtown vs. Somerville. 14-4, in favor of Darrtown...
June 16: A warm June day. This PM, we laid out tel. line on Wm. Beard farm...
June 21: ...German sailors, under orders from their Admiral on board the surrendered German vessels in Scapa Flow, Scotland, opened the sea cocks of their vessels and sank the greater part of them, before interference of British Guard.
DURING MUCH OF JUNE, 1919, MR. MILLER DESCRIBES THE WEATHER, THE WORK OF FARMERS, AND THE PROGRESS OF THE PEACE TALKS IN PARIS, FRANCE.
June 28: Farmers are plowing corn and cutting hay. Peace being signed. The world may finally settle down.
July 6: ...Baseball game at Darrtown this PM. Darrtown vs. Reily. 3-9 score, in favor of Reily.
July 9: Cold last night – could sleep under a woolen blanket, but could not get any to sleep under. The Boss has washed and put away the winter blankets and the summer ones are about all in. I have been used to sleeping under a wool blanket the year round for many years and I find discomfort on these cold nights.
July 10: ...Pres. Wilson is home from Europe and will make things lively for Congress.
July 12: Threshing is now in full blast. Hot for everyone. A storm this PM. Wm. Glardon stayed overnight with us on account of same.
Jul. 13: At home. Mrs. Liz Phillips came up today. Ray Phillips, who had been with us for some time, returned home today, with his mother...
July 14: At home today. I was slightly out of kilter today, from eating some watermelon. I met with Auditing Committee – K. of P. at Hall this morning and helped them audit books. We found $ O. K.
July 16: At home. Telephone work on north line. Threshing in full blast: wheat is averaging about 20 bushels per acre...wheat not fertilized turns out 10 to 12 bushels per acre.
July 20: A deluge of rain fell all AM and this PM. Great for corn;; but, a little hard on the wheat that is standing out – especially, the [?] down wheat, which was bound and shocked.
July 24: ...Arnold has been working in Oxford O. every Wed. on some electrical wiring at Western College for bobtails.
July 26: ...I went up to Geo. Francis and changed his phone out of old house to summer kitchen. He is tearing down the old house, preparatory to building a new 10 room house.
July 27: ...Mr. and Mrs. Slagg and Mrs. Earheart called this PM and ate their lunch on our porch – had been autoing out to Connersville, Ind.
July 31: ...Jersey cow presented us with a Holstein heifer calf this AM. Solid seal brown in color, a fine large calf.
Aug. 3: A hot day. A hot baseball game in the village. Darrtown vs. Ludlows of Hamilton. Score 13 to 3, favor of Darrtown.
Aug. 7: At home AM. I went to Collinsville this PM and got 9 lbs. of butter of Art Phares and a few groceries of "Dome". Stopped at Ledwell’s woods and got a gal. of blackberries. Home at dusk.
Aug. 9: ...Picnic Annual Sunday School – near town today. Not a big attendance as expected. I did not go. Had to work. Brush fires in northern Michigan and the smoke has been carried by high winds all over Ohio and adjacent states.
Aug. 13: ...I went to Oxford this PM. Bought 27 lbs. of lard at 35 cents per lb. and a ham = $13.65. Some money for so small an amount of goods in the meat line.
Aug. 15: ...Arnold and I did some work near Buhi’s corner on Jerico line. We quit early on account of heat and hard digging. We will finish, when the weather becomes cooler.
Aug. 17: ...A great game. Niles of Hamilton vs. Darrtown. Score 3-19. Favor of home team – Darrtown. Our team has been doing good work this season. The crowd in church was small, in comparison to the crowd at the game. I am not at all in favor of Sunday Baseball. But, the working man has only one day to playand attend his church. What shall it be: Some try to do both, some give up the Sabbath. So there you go. Who is right? Who is wrong? I don’t know.
Aug. 22: ...Arnold and I did some work at Taylor School house on corner poles.
Aug. 23: ...Cinti. Reds lead in National League of Baseball and have a good show of winning.
Aug. 24: ...I went to Trenton, O. this PM to see Baseball game. Trenton vs. Darrtown. 7-8. Hurray for Darrtown. A great game.
Aug. 29: At home. The folks are preparing a lunch for our outing at Pioneers Picnic held near Raymond, Ind. Wm. Pierson & wife have invited us to attend with them. Butler Co., Ohio;; Franklin Co., Ind.;; and Union Co., Ind. are the three counties that have held this annual Pioneers gathering for 37 years. This marks the 38th.
Aug. 30: A fine, mild day. We were off at 9 AM for Appleton’s Grove, one mile south of Raymond, Ind. A good program in AM & PM. Mr. William Clawson, 89, carried the gold-headed cane. A Mrs. Gracy Miller of College Corner, O. took the spectacles, age 90. We went by Oxford, O. Came back via Reily, Woods, and McGonigle, O. Saw fine farms and much prosperity on all hands.
Aug. 31: Cool again. At home. Arnold & wife went to Somerville to attend baseball game. Somerville vs. Darrtown. Score 4-9. Same old story. Darrtown at the front.
DURING THE WEEKDAYS OF THIS SEPTEMBER, MR. MILLER REPORTED ON THE WEATHER, FARM WORK, AND WORLD AFFAIRS.
Sept. 4: ...We worked on line for Mr. Ernestine on the old Thomas Nichol farm south of Darrtown. We put in four poles; three more to set; and the end poles to guy.
Sept. 7: A hot day. A hot hot baseball game Darrtown vs. Walnuts. 3-14. The Darrtown team took in too much territory this time.
Sept. 11: At home in AM. This PM, Arnold and I finished the Ernestine line on the old Thomas Nichol farm. 8 hrs. A good line. I wish all the subs had as good a one.
Sept. 14: Another warm one. A great game of baseball today. Darrtown vs. Colonials. 7-4.
Sept. 21: At home. Darrtown vs. Trenton. Baseball teams came to bat at 2:30;; but, were rained out. To be played next Sunday.
Sept. 28: A hot baseball game here today. Trenton vs. Darrtown. 13-6. Darrtown had no support. Their line-up failed to come and a number of [?] had to be substituted to have any game at all...
Oct. 5: A showery day. The boys went to Somerville, O. to play ball;; but, only played an inning or so and had to quit. We need the rain. Let her come! ...The folks went to Butler Co. Fair grounds with the Marshalls this PM.
Oct. 6: Cooler. This is fair week for Butler Co. O. The Cinti. Reds and the Chicago Cubs are having a hard battle for the pennant. Cinti. is still ahead.
Oct. 8: Arnold & I went to Butler Co. Fair. A good crowd for Wed. Fair racing, aeroplane, and balloon. The usual shows and [?] were there...
Oct. 10: Rain AM. Arnold and Bill went to fair with Maurice Witherby and wife. I went this PM with Andy Neanover. A big crowd. Fair will continue over tomorrow, if weather permits.
Oct. 12: ...This AM we were tel’d that Emma Phillips had a stroke of apoplexy. Eva and folks went down.
Oct. 13: Sister, Emma Philips is still unconscientious. There is a chance, of course, for her recovery...she has had...a rather unhappy life. She was married, when about 30, to John Ledwell, who was accidentally killed by a runaway team a few years after their marriage. She has lived with her folks much of the time since.
Oct. 13: Arnold and I went to Collinsville on biz...This PM, Arnold took his mother and Bell, his wife, to Hamilton to assist in caring for Emma. She is still unconscientious.
Oct. 14: Word came this AM of the death of Emma. Her troubles are over...poor girl. Eva went down and remained. Bell came home this PM. Obsequies will be held Thursday, 2 PM at house in city of Hamilton. Burial in Darrtown cemetery in family plot...
Oct. 16: At home in AM. The folks went to Hamilton to attend the services of sister-in-law, Emma (Phillips) Ledwell. I went to the cemetery with Harry Bradbury, a cousin of Emma’s...
Oct. 17: This AM, Arnold & I went up to Swamp Road to get a load of poles and put in a high pole at Scott Kramer drop.
Oct. 23: Doing work at Kramer’s on bend in road – putting in heavier poles and a few extra ones...
Oct. 30: I attended the public sale of the Grothaus brothers near Jerico – 3 miles north north of Darrtown on Richmond Road.
Nov. 6: I fixed a spring wagon with rigging to haul hay. I got J. W. Nichols team and we hauled bal. of hay. 56 bales...
Nov. 14: ...We went to Dayton, O. to attend 5th and 6th District convention of Independent Telephone Companies. Kipp and I quit our jobs...I had been President and Secretary for 15 years...Pres 10 yrs and Sec 5 yrs.
Nov. 22: A fine winter day. Linda [?] Phillips and children came over & spent the day. I went out on line work and helped set a pole. Arnold tied in 10 poles.
Nov. 26: ...K of P this PM. County Deputy present & a number of visitors from Oxford and Seven Mile lodges. A good lunch after lunch, served by Pythias Sisters.
Nov. 29: At home. Chores. Coal getting scarce in U.S. on account of miners being on strike.
THROUGH MUCH OF EARLY DECEMBER, MR. MILLER DESCRIBED NUMEROUS INTERACTIONS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CINCINNATI BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY AND SEVERAL INDEPENDENT OPERATORS IN THE NORTH PART OF BUTLER COUNTY.
Dec. 5: ...The coal situation in U.S. is getting serious. The Bell Tel. Co. of Cinti. and Butler Co. put on tolls to Darrtown and Oxford...
Dec. 8: ...Mr. S.B. Douglas of Oxford & I went to Hamilton O. on telephone biz. I called to see Mr. Rennels, Mgr. of Cinti. Bell.
Dec. 10: I met W.C. McSherry at depot at Oxford. We made good connection...I came home with W.F. Weiss. Tired, but attended K of P lodge 8 PM.
Dec. 16: ...The boys are getting ready for stock show. Tents are going up. 3 of 4 are 60’ x 40.’ Will hold a good number of cattle and etc.
Dec. 17: Colder. A fair attendance at Stock Show. Too late in the season for stock shows. Snowed this PM. A very good home display of cattle. Jerseys, Holsteins, and Short Horns – hogs, horses, and corn.
Dec. 19: Sleighing good;; but, nothing doing along that line. Autos and trucks have the right of way. No sleighs of any consequence in this section. Too slow for this generation...
Dec. 20: I went to Hamilton with Geo. Kolb this AM, attended to some biz...
Dec. 24: ...Auto has ground out the rear axle bearings & same is locked up for repairs.
Dec. 29: ...I went to Hamilton and did some very effective work among the men on the telephone situation...also got a tooth fixed – gold cap replaced – cost $3.00 – a little steep on the charge.
Dec. 30: ...I attended a local sale of household goods of Alexander Smith – a local character of this town, who died about one year ago.
Dec. 31: ...The Goring [?] folks had a dance at the K of P Hall and some of the older ones had an oyster supper.
