Watrous diary tells of 1860's life

Fort Collins Historical Society

By Jane Bass
For the Triangle Review

J.B. Watrous' diary was issued for use in 1862, but recorded dates seem to indicate that much of it was written in the 1870s, and material was added later on blank pages.

All sorts of facts were entered haphazardly, including bits of poetry, receipts, recipes for cures and cakes, dairy and fruit bills for various local residents and portentous events. Clippings were pinned to pages or sewed on with thread.

It is definitely a woman's record book, listing flowers to be added to a garden ("Zinnia double: Scarlet, Orange and Purple; Portulaca: all kinds mixt; Sweet William and Everlasting flowers"), dates the yard was watered from the Mercer Ditch, and amounts she charged for sewing, ironing and board (15 cents a meal).

J.B. Watrous was Dave Watrous' grandmother, Jane, who moved to the area with her husband, William, and children, Anna, Alice, William and Frank, in 1871. The Ansel Watrous book, History of Larimer County, tells about the family's fruit farm on the river one mile northwest of town. They raised apples and all kinds of hardy fruit, "pioneers of fruit growing in Colorado."

William F. Watrous was "a public spirited, progressive citizen, always among the foremost in assisting with energy, pen and purse, any enterprise that promises to advance the material, social, educational and moral interests of his chosen home." According to Watrous, he was appointed by Governor Routt to the first State Board of Agriculture and was president when Main building was erected at the college.

One recipe, unidentified and containing Ipecac, Squills, Tolu, Lobelia and Blood Root, is written on a page with "The State Board of Agriculture" letterhead. Another recipe for "Plain Ice Cream" is penciled on a bill form from "Fort Collins Fruit Farm/W.F. Watrous, Prop'r/Small Fruits a Specialty."

Bills for dairy products include one for Mrs. Colamer which listed milk at 5 cents a quart, butter for 25 cents a pound, strawberries for 20 cents a quart and eggs at one cent each. Jane also sold hens, ducks, turkeys, cucumbers, pie plant and cabbage.

Among the cures are those for hydrophobia, small pox, consumption (TB) and drunkeness. "Even when the hectic flush or consumption is already on the cheek," mullen tea "steeped strongly and sweetened with coffee sugar and drank freely" was sure to turn the trick. And drunkeness could be cured by taking a concoction of magnesia, peppermint, iron sulphate and nutmeg-one tablespoon administered twice a day.

Unusual are instructions "For preserving a corpse: Salt and charcoal/put in little bags laid on."

Recipes contained those old fashioned terms: a lump, a spoonful, so many cents worth, flour to thicken. Don't "Spiced Currants" sound delicious? "5 lbs currants, 4 lbs brown sugar, 2 table Spoons ground cloves, 2 table Spoons ground cinnamon, 1 pint vinegar, boiled 2 hours or until quite thick."

An event unusual enough to record was an illness in June, lasting several days:

Wednesday, June 4. "Allie (daughter Alice) cleaned and took possession of her room Buckingham called to day I was to sick to see him Wm bought 33 head of cows 2 day paid 1700 dol for them Frank is herding the stock"

Friday, 6. "Potato bugs are thick again this year"

Sat., June 7. "Aliie has so much to do and I can't help at all and the boys are worse than no help William got some nice mutton"

A flood occurred on June 29: "An avalanche of water came from the mountains and flooded our yard and corrall and Brown's farm/Janis staid at our house and went to see where the water cam from and he and Arnesby and Frank had to wade back to house"

Friday, 30. "Water gone down but rocks all around house"

An egimatic entry on Monday, Feb. 10, has faded almost to unreadability: "wind blew to day and took the snow off from the ground Bully for sheep men party of the first part"

When Dave Watrous came to my door with his grandmother's diary in hand, I was surprised and honored by his gift. But he knew what he was doing. I've perused, deciphered and enjoyed it. And now I've shared it with you!

This column appears in the last issue of each month in the Triangle Review. Jane Bass is a member of the Fort Collins Historical Society, that will meet Tuesday (Nov. 3) at 7:30 p.m. in the Overland Trail Room, Fort Collins Museum. George Stewart from Windsor will demonstrate flintknapping, fashioning arrowheads and other artifacts with the same materials and methods used by Indians. The t ublic is welcome.

J. B. WATROUS' DIARY was written on a book dated 1862 but many of the entries indicated it was from the 1870s.
Triangle Review photo by Dan Lassiter