Transcription
26th April 1922. I am celebrating my
96 Birthday in bed, sick with the grippe
of course I will soon be up again. There
is something for me to do yet. People think
I am very old. I differ with them on this
subject. Why: Because I do not feel old
I am thinking or have been thinking of
jotting down a few little incidents in
my life, to commence I was born in Hantsfreed
Nova Scotia April 26th 1826 My parents were
Ezra + Annie Churchill, French on my Father
side we can trace 1200 years back to our ancestors
Richard De Coureille. He moved to England
+ soon the French was changed from Coureille
to Churchill, on my mother side, her
father was English a Loyalist. he was one
of the first settlers in Rhode Island [paper missing]
after and moved to Hantsport [N.S. Canada]
The first thing I can remember [paper missing]
Log House on the place Father bought + [paper missing]
the only one around it was quite a curo[?] [paper missing]
Father commenced building at once an eight
roomed House + there is stands today,
The second thing I remember was our old
Black nany a dear good nanny she was
just after I was born. a ship came
up the River Aven. with a number of
escaped slaves from the South on board
Grandfather Darian went on board + got
two the old nanny + a girl about 20 which
he kept as servant + the old nany he gave
to mother. How we loved her. there were two
of children by this time + I never was so
happy as when [we would sit in her lap] sitting on her lap
+ she sang to us plantation songs they sing
in my ears still. I love them yet.
The next thing I remember was going to school
I commenced going to school a short time
before I was seven + did not miss a day till
I was 18 years. not that many times I did not
feel well, but I loved my teachers + I loved
study it was life for me. In fact it was all
I thought of learning new things every day fascinating
and I studied hard, so my Teachers said, one
thing I can say I always stood at the head
of my class, excepting once when I missed
the answer to a question in Arithmetic + a girl
stepped above me, but not for long. I soon
regained my old position + kept it [?]
when I was 12 years old the teacher commenced
pupils to ask me to assist him. which pleased me
greatly. Sometimes I would take charge of
the class in geography. othertimes Arithmetic
[paper missing] on spelling the pupils in the spelling
[paper missing] advanced so rapidly that our
[paper missing] started a spelling bee three schools
joined the contest one evening, but our
School came off with flying coler [colors] both in
spelling + defining, this latter was [at] my
own idea/ I had asked my Teacher if I might
[paper missing] on each pupil Defining the werd befer [before] spelling
This pleased the teacher + it become the rule
that pupils should give the meaning of the werd
before spelling it.
When I was 18 a neighbor who sent 6 children
to school called to see my parents in regard to
my teaching the school. as soon as the present Teacher
had expired she had written request [?] + other
Parents also which she presented to mother, who
seemed excited + replied. Oh no she is too young
The woman said all her children learned at
school was from me + she + her neighbors thought
it my right to be paid as I did far more than
The Teacher, just then Father came in + she broached
the subject, certainly you have my permission, that is all
She is fit for I was delighted, in a few weeks
went up fer Examination as, Teacher + passed with
honors. In due time the Teachers Time expired
+ after the Holidays I commenced to teach, I had
no idea that there were so many children
new pupils came every week till I had
an average of 20. As I gave them all my
attention. I always felt tired out when school
closed. I taught the same school for five
years (in the meantime was married) + moved to
Bath Maine U.S.A. we were about 3 years settled
had bought a house + was doing well [paper missing]
my husband received a letter from a [paper missing]
Uncle in Wisconsin. teling him of the wenderful
chances there fer a young man + advised him
come west. Accordingly we began to [paper missing]
of our property we had no trouble [paper missing]
of our House sold it fer $300 [paper missing]
We were soon on our way + [paper missing]
received by my husbands relatives +
we boarded with one of his Cousins + commenced
looking around fer some of the chances he had
heard of finding nothing to suit he joined a [paper missing]
of men going to Minnesota where times were good
I was to remain till he succeeded in getting a
house then he would send for me, time passed
slowly I was idle + not contented when something
happened to break the monotony. It was on the
Sabbath Day we had just got home from Church
when a man knocked at the door + introduced
himself a Doctor, attending a Priest who lived
just across the Street, he wanted some one to
go with him to help as the Priest was very ill [?]
a white swelling on his knee + he had to go
under an operation. not one offered to go [paper missing]
there 2 men + three women I was shocked at
their hardness of heart. So I said Doctor if I ca [paper missing]
can be of any use I will go, He replied good
you come on so I went with him was introduced
to the An Italian Father Antonio Atillge I held
the Basin procured cloths + did whatever the Dr
wished. he seemed so pleased + when he was
leaving said if I was not too busy perhaps I
would call occasionally + see how the Patiens [patients]
was I told him I had no work + would call
every day. + he had no one to care for him
except the hired man.
After the operation there was a great improvement
+ I enjoyed my calls, often I got his supper +
sometimes his Dinner for him. he seemed so
grateful. Spoke good English, told me how long
he had been in America that he studdied two
years to learn English spoke 7 other Languages
had a church about 5 miles away, liked
the county + that is why he bought his Farm
[paper missing] was very comfortable + convenient
[paper missing] Buildings were good, the village
[paper missing] [?] 30 miles from Milwaukee
[paper missing] the prospect was not that I should go North
fer some time. + as I had nothing to do +
I had heard that the Public School was good I made
up my mind to go, so I sent in my application certainly
[paper missing] was the answer so i attended the next day the
first day I went to School I did not call on
Father Antonio till school was over for the day
+ when I did I was treated to the greatest supper
of my life, Antonio offered to teach me Italian +
furnish all the Book if I would study Italian
I accepted with joy + took my first lesson that
evening + thereafter for 13 months I took a lesson
every day except in the Sabbaths. But believe me
I did not let him want fer attention. Dressed his
knee, made him toast, gruel + many tasty meals.
Every two weeks he had a scrub woman, so the
house was kept clean + I never was so happy
in my life I liked the school + I was crazy about [?]Notes
Large portions of paper missing from letter leaving gaps in the transcription, indicated by [paper missing].