I am working
on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two
blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I’m looking forward to writing about my
children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.
Joseph Norman
Gorrell was born in the last days of Winter on 9 March 1869 in Blackwater,
Cooper County, Missouri.
His father, Amos
Gorrell, kept a daily journal and recorded the following on his birthday:
“Weather cloudy at intervals with some rain. I go up to the Clarks in
the morning and grind my axes. Jimmy helps me. Geo. works in the clearing. Both
of the boys work there in the P.M. Wife is unwell – (labor) takes suddenly ill
at noon and a child (a boy) is soon born. Before any person gets here. I am all
alone at the time go immediately for Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Hill. they come and
attend to everything all right. I go and bring Mrs. Oneal. but all is over
before she gets here. She stays all night. Wife appears to be doing well the
babe also.”
He didn’t name
the baby on that day, but when he wrote the year-end summary, he wrote:
… Have also had an addition to our family of a fine boy which we call Joseph
Norman ...
According to Amos’
diary, the winter in Blackwater was pretty mild, with only a few days of snow.
It was often cold and cloudy, with an occasional rain or snow. There were even
some warm days in January! After reading several years of diaries, he probably
enjoyed living in Missouri more than his previous home in Ohio, where the
weather was more severe.
 |
| Amos & Liby Gorrell with their six children Joseph Norman Gorrell is on the left |
How cool to have that journal! Great pic :)
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