Handwritten journal

The following is my attempt at interpreting the handwritten journal of William Decatur Kartchner. The yellow highlighted words are those I guessed on. I am using this journal to fill in the holes--BIG HOLES—in his journal about the Walton and Willcox families.  I am so grateful for what he wrote, without it I would have nothing to go on.  Even a name here and there is proving so helpful to my research.

I am updating blogs at www.thomaswilcox.blogspot.com and also www.sarahwaltonwilcox.blogspot.com as I find new information. – Deniane Kartchner

NOTE: The person at BYU who sent me a copy of the diary said that it was hard to read – apparently she said it’s been written in purple ink.

p.1

about the year 1730 George and William and John Walton and John from Virginia. George located in Philledelphia PA. George became a Prominent Lawyer and Statesman & was a member of the first Continental Congress convened in Philedelphia in the year 1774 and although                             

and John the younger of

Georgia was a member of the Third Congress held in Philedelphia PA

But little is Recorded of the Heroic Deeds of the Waltons During                 

the americans struggles with the Indians and also in the Revolutionary       

wars & contentions they Lecttured through the country in favor of Continental Rule and when that sacred document                                      

the Declaration of Independence was written Hon George Walton was   among the first who Signed there Names to it

and Lecttured in the Neibouring towns Encouraging the citizens to volunteer in defense of there constitutional Rights and William Walton                      

did much Valuable Service for his country as Physician and Sergnt in comforting the sick and wounded of the american army

he had an Interesting family Resided in Philedelphia his P____ (property)? Soon became very valuable his daughter miss Walton

became acquainted with a young man by the Name of Wilcox from

& soon became his happy Bride and about the year 1750

Mr Kartchner then a boy of ten Summers arrived in Philedelphia from Germany Grew to Manhood and became acquainted with a

Lovely German Girl and was married and they would accationary

Speak to Each Other in German but used the English Language

for common talk but little was Recorded of his Deeds he

being a private citizen Mr Wilcox was a paper maker by trade

and Soon became the owner of a paper mill Some 13 miles west of Philedelphia  and carried on a lively Business

for what was called a hand Mill for as yet Machine

Mills had Not been Invented they Hawled this Paper

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to Philedelphia Market and Sold and Bought Rags and

vitriol and other Material as was needed for Running on

the paper making Businessx Mr. Kartchner

Resided in Philedelphia PA in comfortable circumstances

and their Son John Christopher Kartchner was born Aug 29^th 1784

John C. was very fond of Sailing & loved to build Little Boats

& Set them adrift in the Delaware he became a very interesting boy

for his Dexterity and activity he would go the top of hills where

Groves of Hickory Sapplins Lay beneath and clime one and bending down the tops of others and changing trees passing with sutch force as to

Swing him with Grate Speed which he called flying Science

In that date Boxing Schools was considered to be the foremost

Part of a Young Mans Education and after Receiving his Lessions

would Practice with his play fellows & became Second to none

John became a Drede to his Enimies on in consequence of his

ability in fisticuffing he was a boy of few words and never quarreled

with his fellows but took Speicial pleasure in punishing

offenders & the first appearance of his indignation was made known for a blow well aimed & could only have a comparison by

the kick of a mule & followed up with sutch quick successive blows

that a man was whiped before he could have time to Recover himself.

he saw an inducement to Lern the Paper Maker traid

and went a prentice to Mr Wilcox and Soon gained the admiration

of his master by his promptitude and firmness fear had no

place within him and if a hard trip or dangerous Exploit came

up it was well Known to all that John C. was able for it

& on Returning home would  many times pick up black

Snakes and place in his bosom & let them  make their

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appearance at pleasure he once caught one of these Reptiles

unobserved going from the mill to the House to dinner

& placing it in his bosum It Lay Still in his warm bosum

until they was all Seated to the table Eating dinner the Lesp (asp, maybe?) Smelling the vittules was induced to Strech forth his head to

the consternation of all the company with one accord all

jumped back falling pell mell to Extricate themselves

from the approaching danger and the whole Scien was Enjoyed

by a quiet Smile by John C. Mrs Wilcox had Six children

by Mr. Wilcox William James & John Prudence Sarah

and Ann William James & John became famous for

Paper Making John C became much attached

to Miss Prudence who was born Dec 6^th 1787 and being raised together

almost & became familure and attached to Each other and was

married about the year 1804 or 5 Sarah Wilcox was married to

a Mr Ellis a Black Smith who would accationly Disturb

the Peace Under the influence of wiskey and was of but little use  

to his fellows excepting the good done hammering Iron Ann Wilcox

was a virtueous old Maid who was Much

Skilled in Embrodery and lived and died at the house of

her Sister Prudence age about 40 at a place called Manayunk

Six Miles west of Philedelphia & buried in the Old Baptise Church

Yard on the Ridge Roade one mile North of Residence

Sarah Ellis lived in Philedelphia until about the

1830 she took to ___? (cives?) And died

what became of Ellis was unknown to me

p.4

Prudence Kartchner had Seven Children

Caroline Peter Wollerver Margaret Mark John C William D

and Sarah Ann Caroline was born Oct 11 1810 the War of

in 1812 her husband John C volunteered & went on

Ship board and Landed at Mobile from thence to

New Orleans immediately under General Jacksons

command During his abcense Peter W was born

Aug 29 1812 on his arrival he was grately

Rejoiced over his warrier as he called him in the battle

of New Orleans they was commanded to wait until

they could See the whites of the Eyes of thire English

intruders before they fired after passing through these

___ (bloody?) Scene it seemed to beget within them a

___ hatred toward the Englishmen and

____ abused under the influence of this antipathy

His children weare triditioned to hate the English

And the children of the Orlean troopes followed them

___ well, they would appoint times & places to meet the

English boys and offer two to one these

___ battles would Generaly Result in bloody faces on both

Sides the american boys thinking they had ___ of it 

Margaret was born July 9^th 1814 & She

married James Webb a Yorkshireman a blacksmith contrary to

the wishes of her fathers family John C went to work

for himself paper making & soon became the proprietor of a mill business being brisk he hired Hands & took apprentices

& finally took a partner in the business by Name ___________. (There is a blank space left.)

p.5

William Wollover his wifes cosin who keept a book &

paper Store in Philedelphia who received the paper

& sold & bought Rags and vitriol and matierial for the Mill

thus it run along for some years appearantly was

prospering and at a time John C. Sent by the

regular teamster for money and goods to pay Hands

Mr Wollover Pronounced the firm Broke  Well known

to John C to the contrary notwithstanding he went immediately

to Philedelphia to the Store but books and things was so

arranged as to be imposible to save himself he returned

home much down countanance but resolved to go ahead but

the news was circulated soon that Kartchner Wollover & Co

was broke and soon the mill was attached by Law

also John Cs furniture attached & sold for debts

this mill was situated 8 miles west of Philedelphia on Mill

Creek this corse of things so discouraged John C that he took

to Drink to Drown truble & would Resent the Least appearance

of insult untill it became a common thing for him to fight

for not only his own wrongs but would fight for his supposed friends

another son was born Nov 13^th 1816 whom he called after

himself John C Jun about this time he Decided to Emagrate to

West of Ohio but his wife Prudence objected he now worked

journeywork from one mill to another finaly went to the

CatKill Mountains & worked most part of one year

Drinking hard & fighting often it began to tell on him

he came home Sick & was nursed up again and went

to work nearer home he thought of entering suit against

Wm Willcox for his wife’s part of an Estate in Philedelphia

p.6

left to his children by Mr Wilcox but was drinking to much to save up

a begining another Son was born May 4^th 1820 at Hartford Town

Montgomery Co Penn he wanted to Name the boy Decature after

Commadore Decature Prudence his wife wished to call his Name

William after her mothers father William Walton So they Called

the boy William Decature this boy became the writer of this History

John C became much care worn from the once happy Business

agent Paper Maker down to what they called Jurneyman workman

he was never known to quarrel with a man Mr. Lavern told

me but would fight on the Least intimation of insult times pased

Swift without much intruss to him and a daughter was

born Sep 7, 1823 John C was a great Jackson man

I was with him at the poles of an Election when a man cryed

out hurrah for Clay No Sooner had he said this then

John C confronted him Squared & Struck him to the ground

another took it up & a second was felled to the ground

a third underwent the same punishment the man

held to him & both fell a short encounter on the ground I was following

crying for my father & by the time I could reach the spot all was

over and Mr Lavern said three men whiped they called their

daughter Sarah Ann after her two aunts about this

time John C moved his family to Manyunk & Shortly

after John Wilcox my mothers youngest brother

came from Bucks County Pa to visit the family

he was a young man and a grate musician

he had three instruments violin clarronett and flute

which was very amusing to me and I think brightened

up the Dull Seeans of our house considerable

p. 7

my father worked in the Manyunk Mills

my uncle also a paper maker worked with him

and lived with my father it was common for them

to work by Peace & would Generaly complete their

days work by 2 or 3 oclock and then amuse the

family with the Sweet Strains of Musick of

Evenings my mother also worked in the Paper

mill in the room called the Saul picking Paper

& had her baby under the bench & a touch with

her foot would keep it quiet in a Kind of Box Craddle

in the winter of 1825 my father took sick

by Excessive drink & Exposure took verry bad Rhumatic

feaver all was done that could be thought of

by the medical facility without success

the old School Doctors was then though to be

foremost in the Heeling arts my father

Lingered receiving no benefit from anything

until April 2th 1825 he died leaving my mother

with five children in Poverty to support

our connections came from Philedelphia & Bucks County

to the funeral which was a large attendendence of Carriges

his Remains was intered in the Duch Church

Yard 7 miles South W of Manayunk I was sitting

on my Uncle Johns lap & put my head out the

window of the carriage when a Suden jolt caused

the window to Strick my chin which Resulted in my

toungue being biten which caused me to renew my sobs

& tears? I remained with my mother Some one year

p. 8

and She moved 8 miles South West to Mill Creek

to Telenders Paper Mills. Peter W. was a prentice.

My brother John C worked in the mill for wages my

mother also picked paper at a Low Rate of Pay. I was

Sent to School to a Mr. Hoffman a Universalaleion.

One evening while coming from School a young man

was imposing upon me & plagueing me when

I tryed to get away from him by running but

but when all my Efforts was vain at Last I fought with

him & he punished me Severaly When we arrived at

the mill my brother John C saw the affarre & called him

to account for his conduct the young man answeared

Saying he would punish him the same if he interferred.

They Soon came together & without much talk a sevier

encounter ensued in which both were punished

My brother had knocked out of joint both thumbs

& before the mill hands came to them and parted them

they had become desperate and when parted the young man

was carried home and remained in bed some days.

In the spring my mother took me to Mr. McKnight's

to be his cow boy. I remained during the summer.

I thought the days a weeke long & cryed to go

home but they was verry kind to me & gave me presents

but I suffered in mind verry much. In the course of

autum Mr. McKnight died of consumtion & was buried in the same yard that my father

Remains was buried the year before. Soon after

James McKnight came to adminester on the

MORE TO COME