Jesse does not write in his diary again until July of 1904, so he never mentioned the gruesome death of Mary’s aunt, Sallie Sharp McCormick. Before Mary and Jesse got married, Mary was living with her Uncle Ed and Aunt Sallie in Chillicothe and working for a seamstress. Mary likely helped Aunt Sallie with the housework, cooking, and minding her…
Thursday, April 14, 1904
The Chillicothe Constitution reported that Frank Bench and a friend were visiting Frank’s father James. It said that Frank was living in Fort Madison, Iowa. Have you set up your free account at the Chillicothe Constitution Tribune at newspaperarchive.com? You can do a search and see what awards your mom or grandma won at the 4H Club competitions in the…
Friday, July 3, 1903
Jesse has still been too busy to write, but these little snippets showed up in the Chillicothe Constitution today in 1903: It seems that Frank moved out of state, but we don’t know how long ago. Also, George DeLapp and Jesse’s sister Rose must have moved out of town for George to take a job: Have you created a free…
Tuesday, May 12, 1903
Jesse is still not writing in his diary. However, we see that his father Jim took a trip to Boonville, Missouri, to attend a state level Grand Army of the Republic meeting.
Saturday, November 29, 1902
On Saturday, November 29, 1902, The Chillicothe Tribune printed the following: The unnamed baby boy was born on Friday, November 21, 1902. He died on Saturday morning, November 29th, and the newspaper printed the announcement the same day. The burial happened on Sunday, November 30th.
Wednesday, October 29, 1902
The Chillicothe Constitution printed the article below. Jesse Bench is listed as the Livingston County Sunday School Association’s Green Township superintendent. The group met to discuss “the condition of the work in the county” and they “decided to get full statistics from all the townships.” Have you activated your free account with Chillicothe Newspaper Archive yet? As for Jesse, lately…
Wednesday, August 6, 1902
Jesse has not been writing since he is so busy farming and figuring out the first year of marriage, so it’s been slim pickins for his blog readers 118 years later. His wife Mary is about six months pregnant. The Chillicothe Tribune printed on Wednesday, August 6, 1902 that “James Bench is delivering some fine wheat for shipment this week.”…
Friday, June 27, 1902
June 27, 1902, John Bench is mentioned in a joke listing as wanting to work in carpentry in the Chillicothe Constitution Tribune: John Bench is endeavoring to learn the carpenter trade. If there is any thing in the bench part he will succeed.
Wednesday, June 25, 1902
June 25, 1902, Layed by my corn today.
Friday, June 13, 1902
The Chillicothe Constitution published the following account of Maggie Delap’s wedding on Friday, June 13, 1902: John Delap, wife and son, Master Earl, of Ft. Madison, Iowa, Will and Elmer Delap, Marshalltown, Ia., and Miss Rebecca Warhurst, of Salisbury, are here to attend the marriage of Miss Margarette Delap to Mr. Harry Rice. Frank Rice of Plymouth, Mo., is here…