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Period: to
1860-1890
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Tenth Birthday!
Today was my 10th birthday. My mother promised me that we would go into Ottawa to buy me a new quilt when the weather got better. I asked for one a little while ago because it's getting colder on our farm. -
Christmas!
I finally found that quilt I wanted for my birthday earlier this year, under the christmas tree. Father says that once spring rolls around next year, I will have to start helping out a bit more on the farm. Right now I don't have many chores but my sister has started helping mom with the household work. -
Letter
Today I sent a letter to my cousin Margaret in New Brunswick. I told her about Christmas and about my birthday and the new quilt I got. I don't ever actually remember meeting her but my parents said I did when I was younger but my sister remembers meeting her. -
Dinner with family
Tonight mother cooked a wild turkey that father caught in the woods just South of our farm. Father says he might take me hunting for my 13th birthday. But he says that first we'll have to get another bow and quiver of arrows from the fletcher in Ottawa. -
Farm Work
Today I helped my father plow the field so that we can plant this years crops. We went out early in the morning while mother and my sister were just getting up and then we attached the plow to the oxen and pushed them up and down the field. It was extremely hard work, now I understand why father is always so tired in the evenings. -
Church
My family went to Church today, it was a welcome break from farm labor. I look forward to Sunday every week becuse I like to see all the people from the local town and play with the kids after church. I don't really understand what we do in Church though, the guy at the front talks a lot and it gets sort of boring. -
Death in the Family
Last night our dog Buster was killed in a fight with a wild coyote. Father says its just the way of life but that still doesn't make me feel any better, I want to bury him soon. We let him out after dinner time yesterday and he didn't come back so this morning we all went out to find him. We found his body on the edge of the woods. -
Burial
Today me and papa went out to bury Buster in the yard. We said a few prayers and had a sort of dog funeral. We buried him underneath the willow tree next to the woodshed. Father said Buster was bound to die soon anyways becaus he was already about 11 years old. -
Confederation-Charlottetown Conference
Representatives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada come together to start working to build a united country. My father went to the Charlottetown Conference where they were meeting. He told me that it is very important to be involved in politics where you live. -
Quebec Conference
Today my father went to the Quebec Conference, a Conference dedicated to building the Confederation of Canada. My father says that Canada will be a better place once it has been united as a country. My father supports John A. MacDonald, he thinks he should rule the country. -
A Hard Day's Work
Now that I am 15, my father expects me to put in a full work day on the farm. On one hand, I'm glad to be supporting the family but this also takes time away from my free time. It is also extremely hard work, I'm glad that I am getting stronger though, I want to be like papa when I grow up. -
Returning
Today father came back from his conferences and told us that there was hope for a stronger united nation of Canada. He had a fairly uneventful ride back to our farm. He stopped in Ottawa to bring us back some maple syrup from the shop first though, we are hoping to eat it with pancakes tomorrow for breakfast. -
Broken Leg
A very unfortunate happened today. As I was walking back from the woodshed with firewood, I tripped on a barrel and broke my ankle. Mother says we cannot leave to go into town for the doctor until the snow storm goes away. And on my birthday to! I have the worst luck! -
Healing
The doctor says that my leg is healing well an that i should be back to work in no time. He gave me some medicine for the pain because it hurt a lot but we had to pay a large sum for it. He wrapped my leg in a bunch of bandages before he left and told me to keep my leg elevated for two hours before I moved it. -
London Conference
My father told me at dinner today that in London there is another conference going on, a conference confirming that Canada is now a country. My dad does not have enough money to travel to London to participate in the conference but he told me that his brother, who lives in London, will send us a letter in a few weeks telling us how it went. -
Canada!
Canada is declared a country! The Dominion of Canada included Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. I will be starting my own family soon and I am glad that my kids will have the opportunity to grow up in an independent country that they can be proud of. -
The Great White North
Canada has been a country for one whole year now. My family is rejoicing at the great news. Personnally, I have not noticed any great changes but I hope our contry will start to develop soon and have its own unique culture. -
Marriage
My parents expect me to find a mate and leave the nest at this age but I don't think I'm ready. Its actially very scary thinking about leaving the home I've been living in for my whole life. I hope that when me and my future wife settle down we can find a farm just like this one. -
Engaged
I've met someone in Ottawa that I've been engaged to. I met her a little while ago in town. We are planning to be married in about 4 months. She is one year younger than me and grew up on a farm outside of Ottawa, just like me. I think we will get along very well. -
Hudson's Bay Company vs. The Dominion of Canada
Canada takes over the vast northwest region from the Hudson's Bay Company. -
Married
I was married today at the church in my hometown. It was just great, I can't wait to find somewhere to settle down. For now we are sharing my parent's house. -
Expansion of the Dominion
I read in the newspaper today that Manitoba and the Northwest Territories joined the dominion. -
Home Sweet Home
I have found a farm outside of Ottawa that seems like a very nice place tor raise a family. It is a very large plot of land and has a pond at the edge of it that is deep enough to fish and swim in, I can see me and my future kids having a lot of fun there at the side of the pond. -
Expansion of the Dominion
I read in the newspaper today that British Columbia joined the Dominion. -
First Child
My first child is just 9 months away! Me and my wife are very happy to be starting a family in our new home. We have not decided on a name yet. Were are maybe going to name him or her after one of our parents. -
First Child
Last night, at around 2 o' clock in the morning, my wife went into labor. Luckily everything went perfectly fine and our maid delivered the baby. The doctor came from Ottawa in the mornign and told us that our baby was very healthy. We decided to name him Edward after my wife's late father. -
Mounties!
Prime Minister John A. Macdonald establishes the North West Mounted Police today. Also known as the mounties. -
Expansion of the Dominion
I read in the newspaper today that Prince Edward Island joined the Dominion. -
Birthday!
Today is our first child, Edward's, birthday. He is kind of too young to really appreciate a good birthday gift so we are planning on saving up our money to buy him something he really wants when he is old enough to really want it. -
Christmas
I had a great Christmas day! I cooked a fresh, wild turkey that I caught in the hunting region near our house. I also gave my wife the candle wax that I bought from the apothecary in Ottawa a few ,months ago. We are planning to go over to visit my parents house in a few days for a Christmas time reunion. -
Horse!
We decided to go into town in a few days to buy a horse for our family with some money we got from my wife's parents. The horse will provide a better mode of transportation and will also help us with doing farm work during planting season. -
Horse
I just came home from Ottawa with our baby horse, Chestnut. We decided to name him after his chestnut brown fur. I cannot wait until Chestnut is old enough to help out with the farm work and when Edward is old enough to ride him I will teach him. -
Birthday!
Today is my 26th birthday! My wife gave me a new hunting rifle and a bunch of rounds for it. I enjoyed spending my birthday with my family but it got me thinking that I am getting kind of old now. -
Letter
Today I sent a letter to my parents back at my old home. I told them about my new home and family, and Edward and Chestnut and the new hunting rifle my wife bought me for my birthday. And also that me and my wife are planning on having another child soon. -
Father
I just got a letter from the coroner in Ottawa that my father as died of a mysterious disease of the lungs. I plan to travel to my older sister's farm tomorrow to give her the bad news. -
Sister
My sister's farm is about a 2 day journey. I am half-way done but going to spend the night at an inn on the road. -
Funeral Plans
Today my sister and I planned to have the funeral for our father a month from now. -
Funeral
Today was my father's funeral. We buried him in a cemetery near our old house, where his parents, my grandparents were buried. Me and my sister and both of our famlies were at the funeral. It was nice to get a chance to talk to my sister, I haven't seen her in years. -
Wealth
I came into a large amount of wealth after my father's death. I gave most of it to my mother. -
Second Child
Our second child is on his or her way! We are expecting them in a few months. I wonder what Edward will think of the new addition to our small family. -
Second Child
We just had our second child today. Everything went perfectly fine, thank god, and we decided to name her Claire. -
Dinner
Today we all sat down and had a nice family dinner. My wife cooked a turkey that I caught in the woods and we cooked potatoes that we bought in Ottawa. -
Family Visit
When I went to visit my mother today I found her deceased in her Ottawa home. -
Funeral
Today was my mother's funeral. My sister told me that her and her family are planning on moving to England so this is the last time I will see them. -
Birthday
Today is my 32nd birthday. Its too bad I cannot spend it with my sister. -
Letter
I recieved a birthday letter from my sister today saying that her and her family have arrived safely in London and are going to start a new life. -
Birthday!
Today was Edward's 11th birthday. We got him a book from the Ottawa library. -
Christmas
We all sat down and had a proper Christmas dinner tonight, it was delightful. -
Birthday
Today is my 34th birthday. I am not expecting to live very much longer, I hope my kids have a very good life after I'm gone. -
Birthday!
Today was Claire's 4th birthday. My wife knit her a blanket using wool we bought in Ottawa a few months ago. She had been working on the blanket all through the winter. -
Church
Today we all went to church as a family. It was a very nice experience. -
Washington Monument
There was a monument in Washington D.C. that was completed today after 35 years of construction. That means that I was just 1 year old when construction was started on this monument. -
Canadian Pacific Railway
Donald Smith drives the final spike into the completed Canadian Pacific Railway, uniting the country. The Canadian Pacific Railway spans the country all the way from British Columbia to eastern Canada. -
Satue of Liberty
I read in the newspaper today that the there was a large statue erected in New York Harbor that is supposed to be a nationwide symbol of liberty in America. It stands on Liberty Island, which is what immigrants coming to New York City see when they are coming into New York Harbor. -
Earmuffs
I read in the newspaper today that there is a new invention in the United States called earmuffs which have recently been patented as a contraption to keep your ears warm in the winter. The creator comes from Maine, U.S.A. -
Great White Hurricane
There is an enourmous blizzard on the east coast of America! The biggest ever recorded! There are snowdrifts over 15 metres high! All the railroads in New York are shut down and people are confined to their homes. The blizzard is only expected to last a few more days. About 400 people have died already. -
Johnstown Flood!
There was an enourmous flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Because of a dam bursting 18 miles above Johnstown an estimated 5 000 residents were killed. -
New President of the U.S.A
Benjamin Harrison just won the presidency in the U.S after a close race against presidential candidate and previous democratic president Grover Cleveland. Harrison is the 23rd president of the United States and a member of the republican party. -
Hunting Accident
I was hunting today in the forest near my house and I came accross a large grizzly bear. I've heard before that when you come accross a bear you are supposed to stay put and not challenge the bear but I panicked and ran. The bear chased me and pounced on my leg and ripped it off from the ankle down and then left me there. I managed to crawl home and wrap my wounded leg in bandages -
Wounded Leg
My leg has got infected and our family does not have enough money to pay for medicine or a doctor. I'm afraid I will not live much longer. I have started to write my will. I plan to leave most of my belongings to my kids and wife.
