Subject: Excepts from Ethel Helle Walton's book
Date: Friday, December 31, 1999 6:56 PM
Quotes from Ethel's book, titled Memories:
I found the story of our ancestors so interesting that I began to recall the years of my life. So many things have happened during these years which began with the horse and buggy years, and have run well into the space age that I decided to write them down for future generations. I truly hope those of you who will read this many years from now will find it as interesting as I found the book by Mrs. Rockwell to be.
My grandmother, Nancy Kaler, had a trunkfull of letters, filled with the details of pioneer life. These were of great value in reconstructing the family history. Aunt Nellie Deakon had saved these. It is fortunate that she was the one to have them, as she had not moved as often as other family members. Aunt Nellie had traced our family back to the Mayflower, learning Grandfather Kaler was a direct descendent of John and Pricilla Alden.
Jesse Braman and Nancy Ward were married in 1802 and lived in Ohio, raising a large family. Jesse was a minister. He died in 1839. Their children scattered to Illinois, Wisconsin and Kansas after his death. On December 5th, 1839, Nancy died while visiting one of her daughters in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
My great grandmother, Lodema, was the second child born to Nancy and Jesse. She married Joseph Baylis in 1839. They had four children, Jacob Franklin, Sarah Louisa, and Nancy and Mary, who were identical twins, born in 1844. Nancy was my grandmother. Joseph and Lodema traveled to Illinois 1848. They traveled in a covered wagon and settled in Fulton County, Illinois.
They lived in Illinois for two years when a horse Joseph was riding jumped a fence, catching his foot and throwing him to the ground. Joseph lived for 18 days in a coma, never regaining consciousness. Lodema was left alone with her four small children. She began teaching school to suport her family on their 35 acre farm. Teaching school included janitorial work. Keeping house included carrying water, making your own soap, raising and caring for the cattle, planting and caring for the garden to raise all of their own food. The work was endless. Lodema had to have great courage to giver her the strength she needed. In pioneer days the neighbors helped each other when the need arose. Lodema's source of strength has been revealed as her deep religious beliefs in her diary. A few pages of this diary deserve to be included in this book.
DECEMBER 2, 1848: 
Two years ago now Joseph had passed 6 days of his last sickness, Oh how painful the thought to look back, to see what he had to undergo. Two years has not obliterated the scene; my mind often wanders back, not only in his sufferings, but on passing events. Did I converse with him as I should on a dying bed. I think not. I thought it might not be his last, hoping he would yet recover. But alas, it was not so to be. He was taken away and I was left with my four children. J. Franklin was 8 and Sarah Louise was 6, and the twins 4. But God was my supporter. He stood by me in that trying moment. I have though him to be my God ever since. But although my trust has been in the arm of the Lord, yet I often feel as though things are working against me. For besides being alone and lonely, my family must be supported. I have a small farm but I am no farmer. My boy is not big enough to farm it. Somebody must do it for me and what if it does not suit me, must I complain....No. I must bear it with Christian faith and resignation.
Two years ago now Joseph had passed 6 days of his last sickness, Oh how painful the thought to look back, to see what he had to undergo. Two years has not obliterated the scene; my mind often wanders back, not only in his sufferings, but on passing events. Did I converse with him as I should on a dying bed. I think not. I thought it might not be his last, hoping he would yet recover. But alas, it was not so to be. He was taken away and I was left with my four children. J. Franklin was 8 and Sarah Louise was 6, and the twins 4. But God was my supporter. He stood by me in that trying moment. I have though him to be my God ever since. But although my trust has been in the arm of the Lord, yet I often feel as though things are working against me. For besides being alone and lonely, my family must be supported. I have a small farm but I am no farmer. My boy is not big enough to farm it. Somebody must do it for me and what if it does not suit me, must I complain....No. I must bear it with Christian faith and resignation. Maay the Lord ever help me to be both able and willing to do that which is right, both to mine and those around me, but more particularly to my God.
SEPT 1, 1864. Had our threshing done which cost $4.40 to the Hendersons. The other boys said they would have no pay.
SEPT 2. Nancy spins. I work at housework.
SEPT 3. Went to Mr. Eckleys, bought a scythe, #1.50.
SEPT 5. Gathered onion sets and lopt the broom corn.
SEPT 6. Churned and drawed water.
SEPT 20. The girls go to Eckleys to work on flag.
OCT 1. Work all day about the house. Nancy cut the buckwheat with Scythe.
OCT 10. Mary cut cans, Nancy to Jacobs.
OCT 11. Mary got wagon and hauled cans.
OCT 12. Made Molassses
OCT 16. Mr. Bradford starts for Canton, expecting to start in the morning for Army. Will he ever return, or like others be hurried into eternity.
OCT 24. This week, some of the girls spool rachers piece while the rest of us clean up our buckwheat, dig potatoes, etc. The Louisa warps and gets it beamed on and digs potatoes whle the other girls draws it in then she goes to weaving.
OCT 29. The girls went to mill.
NOV 1. Nancy digs potatoes about 8 bushels. I do housework and quilt for Louisa. Mary thrashes beans. In the evening we pare apples for apple butter.
NOV 2. We make apple butter.
DEC 1 & 2. Louisa put our piece in. 14 yd. Wove it out and cut it into garments. In the evening sewed.
DEC 3. Mr. Johnson came to see about the school.
DEC 4. Nancy starts for her school at the Mealey.
DEC 5. Mary works at Jacobs, helping about the butchering and fetched home 8 lbs. Pork. 2 lbs was to pay for helping Sally, one for helping Sarah and the rest to pay for her work. I was born in the town of Jefferson in Schoharris county and state of New york, her diary continues on to say, in the year 1805 on Oct 18. My parents were poor. Jesse Braman, my grandfather was a shoe maker. My grandmothers name before marriage was Martha Mudge. Three of her brothers were Baptist preachers. Johnathan Ward was my grandfather on my mothers side and my grandmother's name was formerly Nancy Beach. Her relatives were well off. Among them were three doctors. My father Jesse Braman was married to my mother, Nancy Ward on May 13th, 1803. Sister Elizabeth was born Oct 18, 1805. Sister Lucinda on March 26, 1808. Sister Louisa on March 5, 1811, Sister Paulinia on May 22, 1803. Jesse was born March 18, 1816. David Briggs was born July 15, 1818. John Adams was born Sept 17, 1823. Johnathan Williams wass born May 3, 1827. They are all married, but the last of the youngest. My father Jesse Braman was born June 29, 1782 and died May 8, 1839. He married my mother, Nancy Ward, born June 29, 1782, on March 28, 1802. We moved to the west Oct 1846. My brother David died Feb. 1847. My father came to his death by digging in a well, or rather by a piece of timber falling on his head while in the well. He was taken up as dead, but recovered for about 10 hours and then expired. Thus in that short space we were deprived of a kind and tender father and mother of an affectionate companion.
Lodema continues:
How necessary is it that we are always ready to meet any affliction that shall come upon us and even for death itself for we all know that we must die and be laid in the silent tomb. When I was six my grandmother came to our house to live as her companion had now gone home, having died that same fall.
Lodema wrote the following in her diary:
Strive to be useful, as well as respectable.Love that which is good and shun all strifeBe good and kind to all around youIf you wish to be happy, strive to make others so.Never do a mean act, but that which is Noble.Remember your creator in the days of your youth.Honor thy Father and thy Mother for this is right.In 1849 Lodema started a school in her home. In 1850 the Henderson Log School House was built for her on land close to her home. Today the school house is no longer there. Standing near this site is the Sinnet Chapel Church, as it was then.
Lodema died December 19, 1844, and was buried I the Fiatt Cemetery, Cuba, IL, with her husband. Our grandmother Nancy, who was one of the twins, must have inherited her mother's talents, as she was a beautiful seamstress. Frank, who died at the age of 23, fought on the union side of the civil war in Jackson Tennessee, where he was buried in the military cemetery. Frank had an unusual formation on one hand, having two thumbs and being able to use both of them. Gail's son, Robert Helle, was born with the same thumb formation as Franks, though his was removed. After Franks death Nancy wrote the following poem, which is included in the Rockwell History:
A BROTHERS GRAVEThere's a cherished spot in a Southern Land
A spot I shall never see
Tis close by a murmuring river
Shaded by many a tree
At the foot of one of the largest
May be seen a lowly mound
And this is the one I cherish
Although others are scattered around
Tis the grave of a brother fallen
By the hand of a rebel foe
A brother good and noble
By that cruel hand laid low.
Almost three long years we had waited
Since we took his parting hand
And we fondly hoped in Autumn
He would join our household band
Oh, who can tell the deep anguish
Of those who were waiting there
When homeward the White Winged Messenger
Did the dreadful tidings bear.
By Nan Kaler