Imogene Sheriff was born June 16^th, 1865, the tenth child of Charles Sheriff and Elizabeth Loxley, both English immigrants. The 1860 Census shows the Sheriff family living at Cold Spring, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, Charles was listed as a farmer. Cold Spring is approximately five miles north of Whitewater and sixty miles west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

When Imogene was about twenty years old she married James A. Newell, the couple married on March 4, 1885. Newell was born about the year 1857. According to the 1880 Census, Newell was born in Ireland, however those of 1900 and 1910 indicate he was born in Canada. Newell worked as a cheese maker in Cold Spring, in 1880, one of a number of people in the town so employed. Presumably Newell worked at a local factory in the Cold Spring area, presumably the Cold Spring Cheese Company, which ran a number of factories at this time (Old Cold Spring Factory, New Cold Spring Factory, Hebron Factory, and the Palmyra Factory) and which was the largest producer of cheese in Jefferson County at the time. Imogene's diaries recount several trips taken by Newell to Europe for work.

When the diaries commence Imogene is single and she and James are courting and are married by the time the second diary begins and the couple has moved into their new home. She signs her diaries "Whitewater" so presumably the couple had removed to the larger town from Whitewater.

The diaries have good entries which incidents of her domestic life, news and events in Wisconsin, including the murder trial of Nellie Horan, one of the most notorious cases in Wisconsin at the time, etc. Her husband's work in the cheese business kept him away from home quite often. During the first year of their marriage he was traveling on business and leaves Imogene at home a lonely young bride. Imogene reflects at one point upon her years as a single woman with some regret as she felt happier then. James even travels to Europe, England and France, because of his cheese business, leaving Imogene behind.   

      Sample quotes follow:

 "January 1st, 1884

A Happy New Year. The years roll on. Eighteen eighty three with all it's pleasures and troubles has gone and now we enter on another year adding one more page to the history of our lives. The future is before us and we know not what is to be our fortune or misfortune. Life is short and not worth living unless devoted to some noble end. Today we have had a fine time. We had a sort of family gathering at our house. Mr. John Lean and family, Mr. Strup and family, Charley and his bride and Mr. Newell. Charley and Sadie came out intending to stay awhile but didn't because they were afraid of being horned. This morning it was quite fair, but at 2 o'clock it began to snow and kept it up at intervals all the afternoon but in the evening it stormed terrible. James stayed after tea for a short time. It was the first time he ever ate at our house and then went home to build the fires at the factory."

"February 9th, 1884

In the evening we all went down to the theatre to see the play called, "The Hidden Hand" and it was just grand. The best company that ever came in Whitewater. I never shall forget how "Capitola" and "Wool" acted their parts. I laughed until I could not laugh anymore. I think Capitola was the prettiest girl I ever saw in my life and I consider myself a sort of judge for I never saw many girls in my life that I thought was very pretty. But the fun ended too soon. I could have watched them all night and not get sleepy the least mite. They had one of the best clog dancers that there was on the stage. I don't believe there is many such dancers in the would as he is but poor "Wools" girl gave him the mitten "because he was so low legged she couldn't sit on his lap."

"February 14th, 1884

St. Valentines day is here once more. Oh! How fast our days are passing. The clover hullers have come again and have pretty near finished. I haven't received any valentines yet nor sent any either. Sadie and I went down to Mrs. Armstrong's to day and had our fortunes told. She told me I was going to be married inside of a year. That I was going to get two letters  two presents, one from a lady and one from a gentleman that James was going to come back in side of a week. He was going to bring someone else with him. He was going to come a very crooked road also. She told me I was going to have a sleigh ride. I was going to a party that there was someone that had a good deal to say about me but it did no good that I had a good heart for me and that when I did settle down I was going to live in a large house. I was going to do well and take solid comfort and that I wasn't going to marry a farmer. Now I will see in after years if this all comes true."

"April 9th, 1884

Today Charlie went up town after Sadie, Eliza and the beer. In the afternoon the folks raised the barn. We took the vitals out and put it on the lumber and then we went in and sat by the parlor window to see how many glasses of beer each fellow took but they all came in such a hurry and huddle that we couldn't tell one from another so we were about as wise as we were before...."

"May 30th, 1884

In the evening James and I started out for a ride. We went to the fort and out to Miss Lila's and came back to Mrs. Westcott's barn warming. We had a very pleasant time. I danced for the first time in my life with Will Green. I danced also twice with Jim. They all praised me up and told me that they never would known but what I had danced all my life but I wish I hadn't danced at all."

"June 8th, 1884

Walt came home from the factory and told me to prepare for camp meeting. Sadie and Charley drove out about noon but we thought we would go just the same. Eliza rigged Ida and I up with court plasters and put one on her own face. Oh how the folks laughed at us....We went in the tent for awhile but the people was too much for us so we came out and hunted up the boys. I found them smoking over in the woods. One of the sisters came and asked Ida to go up to the alter but didn't say anything to me. I guess they saw that court plaster on my face and thought I was a "total wreck," no hopes for me...."

"February 5th, 1885

James and I went to Whitewater. I went up every stair in that town, I do believe, hunting for a dressmaker and at last found one by the name of Mary Welch....We took supper at Cook's Hotel and after went to a show at the hall. It was very good, especially P. T. Barnum elephant and when they fired that club into the audience."

"January 5th, 1886

We moved into our new home and as it is a new life to us I will keep an account of the days doings. We came over in the afternoon, worked awhile and then went over home to supper. Walt came back with us to help us carry our baggage. John, Sofa, and Barbara Cooper came over to help us pass the first lonesome hours in our new home."

"February 16th, 1886

Walt and Jim went to the city and I had to stay home all alone. Jim pretty near got into a wedding today at Pearce's. Now Jim has gone away again. I might as well keep an old maid hall for all I see of him."

"February 19th, 1886

I've been looking over my last years book when I was a single girl. I believe that is the best of my books, anyway it is dearest to me now."

"August 28th, 1886

Many, many a day has passed by since I last wrote in my little book and I am over home again. This time alone for my hubby is on his road home from England and France. Oh! Won't I be glad when he gets here. He cannot be very far away for it seems to me as if he was going to walk in every minute. Sometimes I look up almost expecting to see him when I know he can't get here tonight. We're all alive and well. All of us were up town yesterday to see the grand encampment performance but all there was going on was the governor standing up shaking hands with every scalawag in town, baby's looking up and a terrible crowd in town. I've been having a nice time this summer. Now I'm going to try and keep track of the events of the day."

"August 31st, 1886

They didn't find Jim last night but John found him today and he arrived here at 5 o'clock. Oh! How glad I was to see him and he was glad to get back to his old home. Lots of talk about it but have no time to write. Jim brought two horses back with him, they are pretty tired and also Jim. He has had a long, tedious journey, three weeks since he started from the old world. They had a severe storm on the ocean which nearly killed them all. J. Johnson lost one of his horses. We ate our citron in the evening."

"November 25th, 1886

Thanksgiving is here again which reminds us another year has passed away. We were all at home and had a very pleasant time and lovely dinner which we all enjoyed very much but Jim couldn't be there to take dinner with us for he had his horrid cheese to make. Oh! How glad I will be when we get rich enough so he won't have to work in the factory."

"December 31st, 1886

This is the last day of our dear old 1886. It has been a terrible day, cold, snowing and drifting. There was a party at Mr. Suedeman's mansion on the hillside, but as Jim was sick we couldn't go. It was a birthday surprise for Fred. I wonder where we will all be at the close of our next year, 1887? 365 days hence? But I hope we will all be here, happy and rich. I don't feel very poetical tonight so I will bid a long and forever farewell to 1886 and draw my news to a close."