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Aunt Emeline's Life Story

Copied down, October 30, 1964

Aunt Emeline Yount was the sister of my great-grandmother, Libby Yount Harley. The following story was found in her pocketbook and copied by Adda Clark (her daughter) and preserved in the Yount Bible.

Aunt Emeline was born in 1854 and died in 1938 at age 84

Editor's note: I don't have a record of the year Aunt Emeline wrote these recollections of her life of daily toil punctuated by the birth of babies and bouts of sickness. She doesn't say much about the happiness in her life, but her face, here shown as an older lady, doesn't betray bitterness or sorrow at the life of hardship she obviously experienced. "Stoic" is the word I would choose to describe her attitude.

 

John and Emeline (Yount) Stauffer married in 1872 on April 16, a Tuesday. Lived at home.

Bertha was born May 2, 1873.

Moved to Covington, Ohio in March, 1874.

Anna E. was born October 9, 1874.

Moved to West Milton, January 1876.

Anne E. died Aug. 20, 1876.

F.F. (Frank) born September 2, 1876.

Moved to Gettysburg, March 15, 1877. Bought a farm at Swanktown, 65 acres.

Elmer was born November 29, 1881. Sold the farm to F. Klepinger 1881. At this farm were no buildings. We lived with a family J. and Mrs. Donner in one room and part of the kitchen. We cut trees to build a stable of two rooms, a straw shed for stock. Lived that way till we built a house of 5 rooms that fall. Did not plaster the upstairs. Cut trees and helped to cross-cut logs to clear. Bertha was 7, Frank was 4.

March 7, 1882 we bought a farm of 84 1/2 acres at Air Hill of J. Bronson. Borrowed money of A. and D.(Dave) Yount Brothers. Three hundred dollars. Also of Henry Herrs, $1,000 at 5%. Hard to pay the interest. Had to borrow to pay the interest of Pap. (her father).

January 24, 1883, Della came, little girl, 5 1/2 lbs. Mary Lehman worked for us at this time for 10 days. Very poor crops. Had not many tools. Hoe, rake, scythe, ax, wagon, two horses, 1 cow and not much furniture. We did do our best.

August, Pa took typhoid fever. In bed 7 weeks. Mother kept Elmer and Della. Frank and I sowed the wheat, he was 7 years. Pa was up 10 days and took a relapse to bed again 11 weeks. That was felt. A very sick man.

1884. Planted and reaped wheat and corn. Husked corn. Loaded oats. One load fell off onme.

Feburary 13, 1886. C.E. Stauffer came along. Bertha and Mrs. Susan Micel did the work. Got along the best we could. Planted and reaped for 2 years.

Then Adda G. came October 1, 1888. Libby (her sister) did the work and Bertha. Very hard times. Elmer took brain fever. Was sick 5 weeks. Charley sprained his leg, did not walk for over a year.

Ellis came October 6, 1890. Struggled on and on. Hard times, hard work all the time. We thought some day we would have it better.

June 21, 1892, Ottie M. came. Bertha did the work with Libby and Mother's help. More hard work and more sickness. Helped all I could outside. Mikled, churned, baked bread three times a week. Cooked and heated with wood. Got a paper 2 times a week. Some did not get it for two or three weeks. Horses too tired to go to town. Got groceries at Air Hill what we could.

May 4, 1894. Mable came. Frosted everything.

Bertha was married and gone and left me to my best, Hazel came 10 days before Mabel. Such times no let up for me.

All was well July 26, 1896. Melvin J. came. Mrs. Ruth Riley did the work.

The year 1897, February 9 our house burned with about everything. Frank married to Callie L. Went over across the road to Zimmermans farm of Joe Allaman. Lived in one room with them for three weeks until the neighbors built the summer kitchen. The people and relatives were very good to us in every way to help us along. Mother and Pap took Della and Mabel. George took Chas. and Ellis. Beachlers took Adda and Ottie until the summer house was built. Moved into the house on Septebmer 1897 with 8 children. Was glad to get all together again. Had got out of debt with a little insurance.

Was then starting up new. All was well again that was best of all.

Frank had typhoid fever for 5 weeks.

Bertha, Welby and Ethel had typhoid fever. Bertha very serious. We took Emma, Florence and Anna with us in September. Anna was 18 months old. Emma and Anna took the fever. Was very sick. Doc Pumphery took care of them. All got over it all right. Jim Riley had a nurse to care for them, Mrs. Hawley from Dayton. Then Ellis had the fever for several weeks. The children stayed with us till September. Then Della got married. Elmer worked at J. McNelly and got typhpoid fever. Was bad sick for many weeks. Many other diseases during this time.

In 6 years, 5 left us and got married. I liked them all, was glad to have them come home to see us anytime. Good to help us anytime.

Sold the farm to G. Montgomery. Had sale and sold all. Moved to Brookville then. Melvin went to the World War in 1918, June. Came back. Taught school and some other work besides.

Then in about 5 years Pa complained of his heart getting worse. Died August 16, 1923. Suffered a lot. Could do nothing.

Melvin got married. Moved, then later moved with me for awhile.

I kept living. Then, later Florence came to stay with me one winter. Nice girl. Then on I went until Rev. Cashman and family lived with me 1 3/4 years. Then I wasn't so good. Had to take the bed for a month. The children came one after another and stayed night and day. Meant alot for them.

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