Nearly one year later, I'm adding a postscript to my blog. I discovered that Ann & Henry have a headstone in Fairhaven Cemetery, Santa Ana, California. They are laid to rest alongside one of their sons & his wife. A big thank you to third cousin David who found the blog and shared this information with me. Seeing Ann & Henry's place of rest this week brought a sense of satisfaction and closure for me. I have loved learning more about these very special ancestors.

Epilogue

In 1885, Ann & Henry Way moved to California along with some of their extended family and several Thorntown Friends. In her later years, Ann was active in the Temperance movement and also spoke out in support of voting rights for women. Henry died in 1900, Ann in 1904. They are buried in the Santa Ana Cemetery--their graves marked with plain stones, a custom of some Quakers.

Following Grandmother Ann's diary was part adventure, part mystery, and part plain old fun. As we crossed the "I" states--Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana--we saw towns and countryside very different from California. Folks were friendly and helpful everywhere we stopped and expressed an interest in our trip. It was satisfying to see the same rivers, communities and farmland that our great-great-grandparents did in 1867.

We followed Ann's diary over 400 miles, through 3 states and across 18 counties.

Thank you, Cousins, for being adventurous and for making some great memories together! And thanks to all who came along with us on this website.

First day meeting

First day, 4th [November 4, 1867] Went to Wm's, dressed & went to school and meeting. Raining very fast. Good school. Lotan came to meeting just after it set. After meeting, started to Peter's but it rained so we stopped at Jerrie's. Emily & the children were there. Just after dinner Peter & Fanny Albert & Marion came to bring cousin Ellen E. & her 2 children. She is here on a visit to her niece Isabel Well's (Cousin Nicholson's daughter). She is Aunt Nancy Millis's daughter & looks much like Grandmother used to. Stayed at Jerrie's all night. Lotan & Emily went home with Peter. They have been plastering & not fixed to keep much company till it dries. Had a good Carolina visit with cousin Ellen. Rain over."

My cousins and I went to the Sugar Plain Friends Church on "First day" morning. Although this is not the same building where our great-great-grandparents worshiped , we were glad to be in the house of the Lord and among Friends who have continuously met in this very place since 1838.

"Second day 5th [November 5, 1867] Went back to Wm's & helped do up chores till evening. Lotan & Emily came. Henry, Logan and Wm. Went to town & bought a stove but we can't get the use of it for a week. Went to our old cabin to sleep. Real open & cold."

This is a picture of the cabin taken some 30 years later.


"Third day 6th [November 5, 1867] Went with L. & Em. to Thomas's then came back to the cabin & helped cord up a couple of pairs of bedsteads we got of James Brown."

Ann's diary of her journey ends here, one month and two days after writing the first page. Ann kept other diaries, but none so interesting as this account of her trip from Iowa to Indiana in the fall of 1867.

Life in Thorntown

Ann's diary continues for a few more days after she arrives in Thorntown. An odd thing occurs in the diary. Ann's last entry was Fourth day morning 30th which would have been October 30, 1867. Then it jumps to Fifth day, 12th mo. [December] 1st. It looks like she forgot that October had 31 days. In addition, it seems as though she skipped an entire month, but I don't think so because of the nature of her subsequent entries. Ann is greeting people she hasn't seen in some time and writing as though she is still newly arrived. Perhaps she just got mixed up on her dates?

"Fifth day, 12th mo. 1st [November 1, 1867?] After breakfast at Jerries, Henry & I went to James Brown's & found him sick with something like cholic. Felt a void in not seeing Ruth, tho the new wife Martha seems like a nice woman. Staid there till evening & went to Wm's."

"Sixth day 2nd [November 2, 1867] Went to Joseph Andrew's funeral at 11 o'clock. Saw Hugh Woody, Enos & Malinda & many others we had not seen before. Had meeting in the meeting house after the funeral. Hugh & Nathan preached as did several others. Went back to Wm's & in the evening went to James's again. He is still quite unwell. Heard while there that Lotan & Emily has arrived at Bransons. Came on the cars."

"Seventh day 3rd [November 3, 1867] Came back to William's & done up some chores. Martha Binford buried today, died of consumption. We did not go. Hear they had great pomp & display. Coffin cost one hundred & ten dollars! White satin dress & other things in accordance. Her wealthy father, tho a Friend, employed the undertaker to bring out the showy Freemason hearse for which, we hear, he charges 75 dollars. Washed our straw bedticks & went to Branson's to sleep. Branson's knee painful from his fall."

Wow! Ann sounds a little "holier than thou" in this entry! Martha was 18 years old, according to church records. I'm sure her father wanted to honor her. Many of the older headstones in this cemetery are worn and unreadable. Some of our kin are laid to rest here.

Settling in at Thorntown

"Fourth day morning 30th [Wednesday, October 30, 1867] Went back to Wm's after breakfast, fixed & went to meeting. Meeting not so large, nor the people so finely dressed as I expected. About 60 scholars came in pairs with their teachers, John Woody & Matilda Hadley, just after meeting. Set & composed nearly half the meeting. Looks nice to see scholars come to meetings again. After meeting went home with Jeremiah, found Elzena and the children quite unwell. Almira has just got out of a hard spell of fever. The rest have all been sick."

When Quakers settled in an area, they did three things: established a meetinghouse, started a school, and created a burying place. In Thorntown, the meetinghouse also served as a schoolhouse for 60 students! This picture is the Sugar Plain Meetinghouse where Ann & Henry "went to meeting".

Thorntown at last!

"Third day morning 29th [Tuesday, October 29, 1867] Got to William's a little after sunset -- found Matilda not very well, tho able to be up some. They buried an infant, a few days old, last first day evening. Was a week. A little boy weighing 3 pounds. William, Elna & Ruth Ann were pretty well. The farms look like potato patches, there has been a good deal cleared up since we left here. Cramela came to see us after night. Night. Went to Branson's after breakfast, found Nancy not very well. Branson got a fall from a ladder in an apple tree that hurt him. Came near getting killed to be hurt no worse. After dinner, went with Branson to Thomas Gossett's, found them middling well. Elam has just got out of a hard spell of fever, looks real bad. Jerusha has changed much, lost several of her teeth and looks poor & pale. Thomas looks older & the girls larger than I expected. Came back to Branson's this evening & found Hadley Corsbie here. Curtis came & went to William's after Alson. Henry is nearly Alson's size & Gilbert a little less."

Ann & Henry's joyful arrival back in Thorntown is immediately met with the sad news that their newborn grandson has died. (Matilda is Ann & Henry's daughter.) The baby must have been premature if he was only 3 lbs. Ann includes this significant event along with chatter about the farms, friends and neighbors, and how the kids have grown.

My cousins and I are excited to be in Thorntown, Indiana!

We're finally in Indiana

"First day 27th [Sunday, October 27, 1867] Took the Newtown & Thorntown road at Covington, said to be 12 miles nearer the Crawfordsville road. I think it is not so good and perhaps we shall not gain by it. Noon. Stopped to feed in a lane 4 or 5 miles west of Newtown. The timber is plentiful. We see very poor buildings through here. There must be very little enterprise among the inhabitants. Roads not so good as in Illinois & Iowa."

"Second, 28th [Monday, October 28, 1867] Hunted Newtown till the middle of the afternoon when we were told we were farther from Thorntown than we were in the morning. Then turned for Pleasant Hill following a man and his family through gates & woods, pastures, 5 miles till we got onto the old Covington road, then camped in a nice grove. Rained a little last night. They are now hitching up to start. Hope we shall get through today if we don't get off the road again. Noon. Stopped to feed in a lane on the east side of a grove. Real cool and been foggy all morning. 4 miles east of Linden. Came 14 miles this forenoon."

As we neared Thorntown, Indiana, our destination, it was easy to see how Ann & Henry could get a little lost, especially since they had been gone for 12 years. The corn fields and country roads all begin to look alike. We encountered a downpour and were glad to be in a car and not in the back of a wagon!