February 21, 1872

2/21/2026

February 21, 1872
Got on the comfortable and backed it, then made it up. Libbie then prepared ? Quilt and lining of her ? And put it on the frames in the South room. I tried to color black but did not have good luck.

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Gary Hart

2/22/2026 06:17:32 am

From Ed HArvey on Facebook: This is a fascinating piece of history! This diary entry from 1872 details some very domestic, hands-on tasks—including a failed attempt at dyeing fabric.
Here is the transcription of the page:
Wednesday, February 21, 1872
got on the comfor-
table & tacked it
then made it up
Libbie then
prepared a bed quilt
& lining of her pink
muslin & put
it on the frames
in the south
room & tried
to color black
but dident have
good luck
A Few Observations (from Gemini too)
* The "Comfortable": In the 19th century, a "comfortable" (or comforter) was a thick bed covering, often knotted or "tacked" rather than intricately quilted.
* Pink Muslin: Libbie was using a pink muslin for the lining of her quilt, which sounds like it would have been quite vibrant before the dyeing attempt.
* "Color Black": Dyeing fabric black was notoriously difficult with 19th-century home methods, often resulting in patchy grays or purples—hence her "bad luck."

Author

We have now transcribed the diaries of Mary (Knox) Herrick from 1865 and 1866, the two earliest of hers that we have. The next diary of Mary that we have is from 1872 and we will be transcribing and posting from that diary every day this year.
Sadly, in 1867, Isabella and Bessie Herrick both died of Typhoid Fever Isabella at 18 years old and Bessie at 14 years old. Mary's son-in-law, Emerson Oatley, husband of Charlotte also died of Typhoid in 1867. All of that suffering could be why there were no diaries until 1872 but that is just my speculation. They could have existed and been lost.
We open 1872 with ‘Father’ Thomas Herrick having had a very bad cough for at least 7 weeks. We aren’t sure who else is in the home, but according to the 1870 census from two years earlier, Melissa and Abbie still lived there along with two hired men, Charles Alexander and Alonzo Daymon.
Please feel free to add suggestions for some of the transcribed words that may not be correct. For instance, in the January 1 entry, G.B.H. is just a guess.

1872 Diary of
Mary Knox Herrick

February 21, 1872

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1872 Diary of ​Mary Knox Herrick

February 21, 1872

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1872 Diary of
Mary Knox Herrick