Francis died during childbirth when she was 34 years old. She was my great-grandmother. She kept a diary for two years before she died. I am transcribing it and as I go I am getting better at reading her cursive, but there are still many errors. This is the first installment. At an unspecified time in the future I am hoping to travel to Illinois and find the correct spelling of many of her friends' names and finish the transcription.

-Thursday, October 25, 1894 to Saturday January 5, 1895