July 1901 seems similar to July 2025. Farmers were cutting hay, Mayme was performing traditional young lady tasks – ironing, sewing, cleaning, getting ice cream at every opportunity, and shopping. Later in the month she took a small vacation to see her friend Cecil, in Findlay and enjoy some dope. And a good time was had by all.

Editor’s note: Installment eight, August 1901, will be posted in August.

July 1901

1. Got up, went after soap. Mamma washed and started to fix my pink dress. A wind storm kicked up.
2. Folks went to Marysville. I ironed and got a letter from Hazel Painter in Rushsylvania. Went uptown at night, Anna and I sat on church steps.
3. Sewed on pink dress, baked a cake. Went to prayer meeting. Bertha came after books.
4. Rainy. Made ice cream. Mama and papa went to Lewisburg. I went over to Jim Raley’s until Anna had ice cream. It rained for some time.
5. Washed my pink skirt. Anna, Jess and I went soliciting. Anna carried pie. Waited on tables. Pauline is at Anna’s time. Anna ate with Harley Long. Ethel and I came home alone. Saw R. B. but that’s out.
6. Done house work in the morning and fixed for ice cream supper in afternoon. Waited on tables. Pauline at Anna’s. Anna with Harley Long. Ethel and I came home alone.
7. Went to Sunday School and to preaching at Disciple. Chester McDonald preached. Alpha and Sara were here to Anna’s for supper. Harley Marquis came home wearing a yellow dress for the first time. Went to preaching at Disciple at night, came home alone.
8. Did up the work, mamma washed new potatoes for the first time. Anna, Stella and I cleaned the hall. Put down hall carpet and got muslin for skirt.
9. Ironed. Cut hay. Field Carpenter here for dinner. Moses Lindsey died. Commenced my skirt. Got mail.
10. Sewed in the morning. Field, Dott and Watt here for dinner. Got mail at night for first time. Went to prayer meeting.
11. Went to Moses Lindsey’s funeral, all alone. Watt here for dinner. Sewed. Kitten died. Jesse brought me a boquet of sweet peas, Anna and Iva here. Went downtown after mail.
12. Got up sick. Field, Watt and Dott here for dinner. Finished cutting hay. Dick Painter’s house burned. Anna came through, going to her Aunt Libby’s. Went uptown in evening to Stella Loveland’s. Saw four drunk boys.
13. Got up and made the bed. Took butter mil up to Job Sharp’s. Sewed, show in town in the evening. Went uptown a little while.
14. Went to Sunday School and out to Bertha Wirick’s for dinner and over to the fire in the afternoon. It rained; Bertha and Ernest brought us home. Missed Endeaver. Happy, though.
15. Did up work, hemstitched, letter from Cecil. Anna, Ethel, Georgia up to the gate. Show in town.
16. Sewed. Anna came up after a pattern. Mrs. Steinbarger made lunch and we went uptown. Wrote to Aunty Molly. Rainy. Bertha brought my clothes and Anna, Ethal, Bertha came up here.
17. Went for mail, saw Ota and Pauline. Made collar and ruffles, rained. Went downtown at night and sat on the Davis’s steps.
18. Ironed all morning. Mamma and I went uptown in afternoon. Got a dress and dressing sacque (a loose-fitting, hip-length jacket or a type of 18th-century formal gown — see image above). Went downtown at night and got mail. Saw Bertha and Chrystal.
19. Sewed all day. Mertie Stratton was here. Went downtown at night. Claude Davis broke his wheel. Got peanuts and saw Light of Fire — Jesse was going, too.
20. Fern Arthur was up after apples; did up work. Sewed in the afternoon. Went uptown at night, little boys sold ice cream.
21. Went to Sunday School and to Anna’s for dinner — her birthday. Went down to Jesse’s after. Sunday School in afternoon. Anna and Jess were here for supper eat over. A chance to go to Goshen with Harry Rea. Apricots. Camp home with Port Burk.
22. Canned apricots. Mamma washed and Anna came up after a pattern. Warmer weather than we have had so far.
23. Jesse cam up after apples. Ironed in the forenoon. Got word that Uncle Art was dying. Cleaned ribbons and waist. Port Burke’s birthday – he is 18 today. Went to Inskeep’s to a croquet party. Came home with Port. Stopped and ate ice cream.
24. Got lace. Ota, Stella, Pauline were up and we “ironed out our oats.” Anna came up in the evening.
25. Got up and it was raining. Went downtown, saw Anna, will now pack this for Findlay. Took train at Raymond. Cecil met us at the train. Went and got postal cards, wrote to folks, mailed postal cards, then we took a ride to see bicycle race. The baby got scared.
26. Got up at about seven o’clock, laid upstairs on the floor all forenoon. Went over and watched people play tennis. then took a long walk to Mrs. Porter’s. Came home and wrote letter, took a walk down to the Courthouse to take a look at it. Came home and read. Cecil left her pocketbook out on her walk. Tired and sleepy.
27. Got up at nine o’clock, wiped dishes and wrote letters. Caddie G. came over and we took a drive and got dope (a thick, sweet, syrupy treat). We came home and wet to grocery, mailed letter.
28. Took a long walk and went to 1st M. E. Church. So hot. Took a ride and nearly got run over by a train. Went back at night and got ice cream soda. Went to Church of Christ. Cecil slept with her mama and dreamed about a surprise party.
29. Cecil came up and crawled in bed with us. Sprinkled the yard and whiped dishes. Mr. Gatehard came home sick. Cleaned our room up. It rained, we played crokinole and dominoes. Walked downtown at night and went to the store (got a fan). I had a toothache. Came upstairs and played dominoes.
30. Wiped dishes, played dominoes and crokinole. Went over to the college and up to the store and got ribbon. Went to Mortimer’s at night. Work silk waist and Anna treated to dope but it was an ice cream soda. Tried to count the starts.
31. Wiped dishes and cleaned our room up and went up to store – got a cushion. Saw Mrs. Porter. Had a toothache. Went over to Paddie Griffith’s, came up stairs and worked on cushion. Anna laughed out loud.

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About the author: Mary “Mayme” Wilbur was born in 1885, in Union County, Ohio. Her father, Zachary T. Wilber, was 37 and her mother, Adelaide Allen, was 38. Mayme was their second child; their firstborn, a son, passed in infancy. Mayme married Chester O. Teets on February 24, 1918 and the two lived their days in Middleburg and Zane Township, Ohio. She died in 1954, in Middleburg at the age of 69. Chester passed the following year, at the age of 67.