July 16, 1892 - 1903 in Coles County, Illinois

July 1892

16.  Saturday,  6 AM.  Ther  57.  76.  68

Clear strong E. wind.  Coolest day we have had in some weeks.  Settle with  Steve Decker for day in harvest.   Pay him two dollars for Rile.  Uncle John  in town P.M.  Trade pretty fair.  Clear day E. wind learn that Warren Decker will thresh Monday.  Shall go down there tomorrow.  Gobed 11 PM

July 1903

Thursday 5.45 AM.  Ther.  55.  78.  66.
Cloudy and raining.  It began to thunder about 2 AM and to rain between three and four oclock  Very heavy rains till morning with much thunder.  It rained with much thunder.  It rained until 8 or 9 AM.  Met Bacon at P.O. and took him.  Engage Abbot to come and work P.M. but he failed to come.  Kate was up PM and settled with Tue.  Her sister from Missouri is here on a visit.  Rec phone from Loxa that flood gate washed out this morning and they want me to come out in morning.  Louise was here most of day.  Helen has gone to  Ora's to stay and Ferd is staying all night at the Opera House.  This will probably break up their housekeeping.  It cleared off before noon and clear day thereafter;  light S.E. wind.  I estimate rain at about 2 in.  I got shave at Brown all paid.  Saw Ed Wright who renews his 40.00 note at State. 90d.  Gobed  8.45 P.M

August 13-18, 1900 in Charleston, IL

August 1900

Another big "Cake Walk" at Decker park Monday Night.   Didn't go.

13.   Monday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  AM.  Ther.  70.  93.  75. =79 1/3

Mostly clear.  Very heavy rain with wind in night probably about midnight.  Maggie D got home in night.  Owen helped me hitch up AM first time since in Spring also milked at night  Has quit working at Stodderts.  Drove east of town P.M.   and ride with G Kellogg at night E. of  half Mile house Doc Bennett says Ina Brown is to pull out his engine tomorrow morning.  I took quinine AM and felt bad till late afternoon.  Mostly clear day and quite sultry yet.  Maggie gives up her Centralia trip  Gobed 9 PM.

14.  Tuesday 5.30, AM.  Ther.  72.  84.  75.  =  77

Partly cloudy.  Owen helped me hitch.  Mrs. Owen washed.  I saw Charley Mitchell and start for ranch 8.30 AM.  Getting across river.  Heavy storm from NW made me return  Met storm at Wrights where I stop for an hour getting home about noon.  Heavy rain with wind and thunder from 10.30 till 11.15 AM.  Clears of P.M. and air very close.  Speak J H Marshall about Brown   Owen milks.  Gobed 9 P.M.  (shorthand)

  Next page - Two rows of shorthand.

15.  Wednesday.  5.30  AM.  Ther.  70.  90.  75? = 78 1/3

Partly cloudy.  Much lightning N in  night.  Thought to go to ranch, but Heavy shower came up about 9 AM.  Urinal for store came yesterday but decide not to put it till Geo Gray vacates our back lot.  Wall is starting a saloon at Brocton.  West out to Gaines P.M.  Gaines gone to Mattoon did not get home till night.  Shirley and Arnut(?) in townclear hunting BC Hands.  Self feeling badly all day.  Gobed 9 PM

16.  Thursday.  4 AM.  Ther 70.  85.  76.  =  77

Mostly clear at 4 AM.  but some clouds up  Shirley began cutting BC. Jo will help him and will probably help Armstrong.  I got  some eggs  tomatoes and corn and get home 8.30.  Learn through Gaines folks that Bert has gone to Dakota.  Very heavy shower between 9 and 10 AM. but mostly clear P.M.  Drive down to see Kellogg P.M. but he was not at home.  Tue  over at Groves at night.  She is not feeling so well as usual  Gobed 9 PM.

17.  Saturday 5.20 AM.  Ther.  78.   100.  85.  =  86  . 87 2/3

Mostly clear  Roan horse was loose this morning and had demoralized everything about the farm.  Start for Gaines 7 AM.  They have about 20 hands cutting BC south of house.  Intended to go home early but went on errand for Armstrong and stay round till 4 PM.  They get to threshing about 3.  Too warm for me to move around much.  They have 15 acres cut.  Get home 6 P.M.  Pay Simons for  amt. (to date) of C.D. Michell bill coming to  (?).  Maggie Dvone and sister were going home tonight but gave it up.  Drive round town a while at night.  ( shorthand)  Gobed 10 PM

18.  Friday.  5.30 AM.  ther.  73.  99.  85.  =  85 2/3

I start for ranch after breakfst to see if Brown had moved  found him just across Blakeman bridge on way to Perry Rennells.  Says can fix up another bargain and that BC thresh will not hold him long.  Very hot especially PM and night.  Warmest night   Gobed 9 PM    Oka and Ruth Decker came at night.

August 28 - September 2, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

August 1888

28.  Tuesday.  5.30  AM.  Ther.  66.  83.  64.

Cloudy.  Start for timber with Tue at 7.30 AM.  Men clearing all day west of house.  We have been married eleven years today.  Walked around a good deal.  Tue seems to like it pretty well.  Very warm down there.  Clear off early and mostly clear day.  left baby with father and girls.  Gobed 10 P.M.

29.  Wednesday, 5.30 AM  58,  81,  60.

Mostly  clear warm day.  Start for timber with M & P at 8 AM.  Six men clear today  Johnson having quit.  Clear N.W. of house cross spring hollow.  Have cleared as far west as think will do at present.  about a greater west of cast lives.  Maggie and Phebe enjoyed themselves and got very tired found some very fine fungi.  Got home at 6.15.  Tried an operation on calf this AM but no good.  Mrs Dickinson ironed.  go bed 10 PM

30.  Thursday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  51.  81.  66.

Mostly clear start for timber at 7.15 AM.  Six men at work clearing on ridge N. of spring.  fire old hickory stub.  Brown hauling old lumber and boards.  Brought him $2.05 in groceries today.  g of 9 oc.

31.  Friday.  5 AM  Ther.  66.  78.  60.

Start at about 7 AM.  Cloudy mostly turns cooler P.M.  Near clearing on second ridge N. of spring push fence row through to N. road in P.M. I went over on Hall and Darkes eighty.  Oscar Decker  cut his hand pretty badly P.M.  Gobed 9 P.M.

September 1888

1. Saturday. 6.30 AM.  Ther.  53.  74.  56.

Clear morning and day.  Most of hands were up today.  Uncle John was down to dinner.  Sherm Popham pays me for boards, $10.75.  Mrs. Perrill called at night.    Grate some corn for breakfast.  Bud some peach trees today 5 on N. (?) of row early peach from Brandenburgs.  Gobed 9.30

2.  Sunday.  6.30  Ther.  54.  75.  55.

Clear.  worked of forenoon on plan for a sheep barn.  After dinner, Tue, self and baby drove out to Uncle John's staying an hour or two.  He gave me some advice about sheep farm and we got some corn to grate.  Gobed 9.15

August 24-27, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

1888

24.  Friday, 5.30  Ther.  53.  85.  60.

Clear  Mostly clear day and warmer.  Work all day clearing live for road and got nearly through.  Went over on south side of big hollow after dryncher(?).  Bob begins hauling lumber out of bottom P.M.  I started home at 5 P.M. coming home by Edmans and M. Anderson.  Phebe better today and think will get along.  9 P.M.

25.  Saturday 4.50 AM  Ther.  56.  85.  70.  

Clear or nearly so.  Start for woods at 6.30 A.M.  Finish clearing road before noon took down beef and flour for Jno Jr. and Riley then worked only till noon.  Clouds over about noon and rain about  2 p.m.  Cut an old tree out wood aged tried to make a few posts with poor success.  Left boys piling up their wood about 5 P.M.  There was a Demo. meeting in town came home by Walkers.  9 P.M.  Tue got Muggs pictures taken.

26.  Sunday.  7 A.M.  Ther.  70.  84.  70.

Partly clear, mostly cloudy day. Light rain about dark for hour or so.  Tue and self went out to Uncle Johns.  Drove up N. of town a couple of miles first.  Brought home lot of apples getting home in the rain.  We left the baby with M & P.  Budded most of my young peach trees today from seedling trees of our own four kinds.  Gobed 9.30

27.  Monday 5.30 AM  Ther.  67.  81.  72.

Cloudy looks like rain.  Got to woods at 9 AM.  7 men at work today.  Two new men E. Johnson and Os Decker clearing round house and near spring.  Brown hauling out lumber.  Have spent on cleaning up to  this morning $37.50 for  50 days work.  Very satisfied with most of the work done.  Got home 6 P.M. Sprinkles rain toward night.  Gobed 9 P.M.

April 30 and May 1-2, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

April 1888

30.  Monday,  6.30 AM.  Ther.  54.57.  46

Cloudy and raining form N.W. rained some in night.  Drove down to Myers at Nicholson place, says he will not be able to work for me any more and will have to pay rent in money.    H.G got at  Four Leaf round  Fatty Knocks shop in P.M.  Sell Kenshaw 65 posts and 800 ft. fencing to be delivered this week.  Got Andy Mock to straighten up load of lumber on yard.  Chilly  cloudy day.  Wes Caylon hauls me down load of fencing from yard.  Wind NW gobed 10 PM~

May 1888

1.  Tuesday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  42 50  46

Cloudy N. wind.  Start with Crass for timber at 7 AM.  Got to work at lumber about 9.30.  Brown helps till we quit.  R Rutherford helped in afternoon  We got home about 8 AM.  Think another half day will finish the job.  Chilly day, with N. or M.E. wind cloudy all day roads  (?) went by  Walkers and return by Blakeman.  gob 10PM

x2.  Wednesday   6.15 AM  Ther.  43.  65.  58

Cloudy E. wind.  Father was sick in night and did not get  up to  breakfast but was round town  before noon.  Kirk & Co brought up  two loads of lumber mostly fencing in all 1244 ft. paid them 5.00.  H.G. says he will go in with me to put up a sawmill in town - will do so at once.  Look round for fellow to help make garden didn't find anyone.  Crass sent word that he was sick.  I set about 75 strawberry plants just before dark.  Mrs. Rogers washes.  Tue takes in the clothes and hurts herself lifting.  City sawp(?) line  for sewer from Johnston building.  Gobed 10 PM  Mostly clear day.  Settle with Caylor today.