Charles Emory Hayward was the son of John Phillip and Naomi Hayward. He had two brothers, Smith and Zenas and two sisters Mattie and Lilly. He had a third sister but she died in infancy. Charles's generation was the second born of the family in the town of Lyra in Scioto County Ohio and the fourth generation to live on the same farmland. His Great grandfather, Moses had come to Ohio from Vermont in the early nineteenth century. I have the privilege of having access to the private journals written by Charles during the late 1880's through the early 1890's. He was my Great great grandfather. Like his predecessors, Charles lived and farmed in Scioto County. Charles kept a daily journal and each day, he recorded the weather and what he did that particular day. Daily entries taken individually are prosaic to say the least. But, when I took the time to read these fragmented references together, I began to see a larger picture; I saw how Charles's life was built around the routine workings and rhythms of the farm. He worked, slept, ate, rested and played when the farm allowed him to. By looking closer at these journals we gain a more vivid image of the daily workings of the farm, family, friends and acquaintances in Charles's life.
The journals are full of golden nuggets of historical and genealogical information and are screaming to be heard. I invite anyone who is interested to join me on this journey back in time through Charles's eyes. Please share questions and information pertinent to the entries. I will be picking out information I find captivating myself and will most definitely go on tangents some obviously related and probably some not so much. I am anxious to see where this journey leads us!
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