August 29-30, 1889 and 1900 in Coles county IL

August 1889

29.  Thursday. 5.15 AM.  Ther  58.  90.  66.  =  71 1/3

Clear smokey.  Start at 6.10 with girls.  Milt Riley and Enoch work at digging all day.  Think have got a good supply of water for stock.  Began on well for house.  Two had to work hard, roads very dusty and pastures getting very dry.  Get home 7 P.M.   Found two drummers waiting for me.  Brown and Nelson.  Warren brought up a load of posts.  Gobed  10.30 PM

30.  Friday.  7 AM.  Ther  69  94.  70  =  77 2/3

Clear - Bill Kelly works while for me in morning.  JTS drummer still here order claret from Thirsker,  Tue has caught very bad cold.  Uncle John  came down but didn't stay for dinner  Milt brought in load of wood selling to Moderal in part from old watch.  Quit chewing tobacco tonight.  Have been using it for about a month.  Gobed 11 PM.

August 1900

29.  Wednesday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  67.  90.  70.  =  75 2/3  

Clear.  Very heavy dew several mornings.   Clyde Ashby choring  Maggie Devone ironing  Tue  fixing up Miss Ford Room.  Drove out to  Fair ground.  Marshall getting their BC out of buildings  Get some fungi   Lepiota  Canlifer    Simons brings in load of lumber all sorts.  He has  brought John's   ( Decker)and Jim's plans and they will start for the Nation or Arkansas soon.  Molter wants to buy our B.C,  Geo  Rosebraugh offer 80.00  Lon Armstong brought me sample of his father's brush.  Look for cow supposed to be out.  she proved to be in pasture,  Gobed 10PM

30.  Thursday.  5.45.  A.M.  Ther.  66.  92.  75  =  77 2/3

Mostly clear.  Easterly wind.  Our cow supposed out still in pasture.  Clyde Ashby continues working for us.  Takes home to Chas Marshalls a lot of borrowed magazines.  Tue finishes up Miss Fords room.  Start out to Loxa 2.30 P.M.  Meet Shirley with C.H. Jones.  S. says is bound to sell his share B.C. today  Jo hauling out BC seed.  Pay him 12.00 check on wages  Took out rope for well.  Shirley sold for 82.50 which is the best have heard of sales here.  I get home 7 P.M.  Clear warm day roads getting dusty.  Wind easterly.  Mort and Kate over at night  Gobed  9 P.M.

September 18-19, 1913 and 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

1913

18.  Thursday.  6 AM.  Ther.  64.  74.  66.  =  68.

Cloudy N.E. 2.  Misty.  Hatton came working all day at wood pile.  Order "same" fro, J.E. Mc morn, getting it about 6 P.M.  Got sample of early ohio potatoes of Crciu.  Try again to see E.E. Tate but didn't.   Learn our phones will be(g)in 3.30 which did.  Meanwhile I drove down E. of normal and get nice mess of  campertris.  Harman and Shrives here when I return.  They want to rent the farm together and I tell them can have it subject to conditions which will discuss later.  They were in buggy and took out ome pears.  Mrs. Brooks over at night, also Mrs. Curd.  The latter went with Tue and  Helen to band concert.  Much cloudy with easterly winds.  Gobed 9.30

19.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther.  64.  78.  68. = 70.

Cloudy. E.1.  Hatton worked all day at wood piling S. of old house site.  I drove up to Dicewood again but met nothing in fungus line.  C.H. Jones Phones and we rent Loxa house to Lerna man who will move right in.  Mrs. Grove and Mrs. C.D. Mitchell call P.M.  I drove by E. of Normal and round by Phipps place.  Find  fine mess campertris W. of Phipps~~

Met Jim Butler and Normal stud.  The roads have dried good deal today.  Mostly clear P.M.  and at night.  Pay Telephone for Aug 1.50 ch.  Wind E to S. with flavor of gas additives.   Gobed 9.

1888

18.  Tuesday,  5.45 AM  Ther.  52.  72.  58.

Partly clear.  Start for timber 7.15 AM.  Nobody at work, will all begin Thursday.  Met Zeke with load of boards which proves to be wrong lot.  Bob not to be found anywhere.  Hear  he is working for Jo Handley.  I  pile up boards in P.M.  Start home at 4 P.M.  Gather basket butternuts.  Came across Skidmore and Leitch whose horse had run away.  They road home with me, got home 7.20.  Gobed 9 P.M. Tue washes.

19.  Wednesday.  6 AM.  Ther.  56.  83.  70.

Clear and mostly clear day.  Pick and peel basket of peaches for Tue AM.  Tue about sick from washing yesterday.  After dinner we drove out to Uncle John's and got basket of apples.  Drive round by Perrills when came home.  Wrote letter to Sal Shaw of Parils about lot in bottom.  Warm day.  Sprinkle of rain in P.M.  Go bed 8.15

September 9-17, 1913 in Charleston, Illinois

9.  Tuesday.  5.00 AM.  Ther.  64.  84.  68.  =  72.
Mostly clear E3.  Tue slpet in N. chamber last night.  We got a letter from Phebe.  She has got located at Havana Ill.  I send her address to H.A. Neal.  Drive uptown fir steak A.M.  Mrs. ONeal called P.M.  Simultanessly peddler calls.  Mrs. Reed came with half bushel fime peaches 70 c  Paul Harman borrows new buggy while his is at shop and I hitch to old buggy driving S.W. to Phipps road getting home for supper.  Mrs. Curd spent evening here.  I retire before she leaves.  Clear with fresh N.E. wind.  Paul Harman and sister are attending Normal.  They drive in every morn.  Gobed 9

10.  Wednesday 5.30.  AM.  Ther.  54.  86.  68.  =  69 1/3
Clear. N.E. 1.  Rhoda came and worked till 2 P.M.  Pd check 1.00 get shave AM. Pd.  Try to  find Steve Decker up in Anderson.  He doesn't live there.   Paid brings back buggy 9 A.M.  Starting at 4.30 P.M.  Tue and I drive E. to river at old Ashmore ford.  The river is dry there some holes above and below ford.  We did not go any farther E. on account of Tractor on hill E. get home 6.30 P.M.  Tue went to P.M. with Mrs. B. Self broke recent pledge slightly today by taking chew of tobacco.  The roads are very dusty.  Clear Moderate N.E. winds Go bed 9  Tu canned Peaches AM.

11.  Thursday.  5.30. AM.  Ther.  64.  92.  70.  =  75 1/3
Mostly clear. haze. S.E. 1. gas.  Tue continues to can peaches.  Reed's were best we ever had.  We had intention of going to Loxa but got up too late.  Clouds up P.M. with thunder and sprinkle about 3 P.M.  More rain 9 P.M. and later.  I drove down to Fritz's late P.M.  He is busy at work for while - plumber.  tue was up town at with Mrs. Curd.  Meanwhile Mort & K came and stay until nearly 10.  He is working at the Normal.  Will fix our porch in short time.Rain slow much of night, no thunder.  N.E. 2.  Go bed 10 P.M.  R.54

12.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther.  6.  72.  60.  =  66
Cloudy N.E. 2  Light rain in night to 7 this morning .54.  It quit rain before 7 AM.   I  hunt up Bill Hatton finding him at Joe's.  He will work for for me tomorrow.  After dinner Tue went up town and to Hat's and I decide about 2 P.M. to go to Loxa.  Pay J.H. Pinnell a/c 16.95 ck.
I went N. Jack went,  Saw C.H. Jones.  Oakley moved out about Sept. C.H.J. and  self decide not to rent to  Theodore Arnold who wants the house, until make repairs my be not then.  I went on up through place.  Much seed in SW clover.   Corn does not promise much.  I drove to house and to front gate but found gate out of order and return through
loxa.  Four calves, unknown, pasturing on  S. end.  Darling has moved to J.O. Linder place.  I got  home after seven oclock.  Mostly cloudy day with N.E. wind  Go bed 9.

13.   Saturday.  6 AM.Ther.  52.  74.  60.  = 62
Mostly clear. N.1.  Bill Hatton came before 7 AM. and goes to work allover place.  Helps hitch up.  I take she to Evans for repair.  Pay Nickles Bro. a/c 8.50 ck.  They are building big stable on site of Sam Rays old barn.   Call at Andrews and think can get coal to send @ 2.90.  Bill cuts  old cherry (Gov Wood)  SW. of house.  It has beeb there 30 years.  PM. he cut up two willow trees that had fallen across the branch, took trash &c. out of ditch on 5th St. and cut up old kindling.  Pay him in full 1.50 ck.  We will come Monday.  Learn that Jake Daizy is dead to be buried tomorrow.  I am off in my feed and made batch mush at night clear mostly with Northeasterly wind  Go. bed. 9.

14.  Sunday.  6 AM.  Ther.  Ther.  50.  74.  60.  =  61 1/3
Most clear.  Easterly wind, hazy.  I went  to Dorschs for piece of ham before breakfast.  After get paper  Tue and I decide to go out to  Berts.  We start 11.50 taking lunch which ate on road near Alex Martins.  Helen with children was there also (?) Ferrish.  think corn some better out there than at Loxa.  We went and returned S. road start home say 5. P.  Autos very numerous on road.  My buggy wheels getting worse.  Bert says not safe.  Get home 7.  Part clear day easterly moderate wind Gobed 9.

15.  Monday.  6 AM.  Ther.  58.  64.  66.  =  62 2/3
Cloudy. E.2.  Light rain began 6.  Bill Hatton came 7 AM. working an hour at stable, rain continued and He went home about 8 A to return later.  Learn that Geo. Drake is lately dead and buried today.  Write O.C. fg Co. about bad rear wheels of buggy.  We hitch up but don't drive till nearly 5 P.M. when rain slacked up.  Went up and got shoe at Evan's, loaf of bread mail letter.  Got caught in quite a shower.  Bass Chism stops me wants to rent the farm.  I spend two hours AM. furnace room built good fire and clean up some.  Am suspicious of old furnace but will make it answer if possible.  More rain at night till bed time.  Rian today 1.51 in.  I get slightly warmer at night.  Go bed 9 PM.

16.  Tuesday.  5.30 AM.  ther.  66.  78.  72.  =  72.
Cloudy S.4. mist. and light rain.  Hatton didn't come.  I  hitch up  and drive out to Dicewoods looking for mushrooms.  Nothing doing.  Rene and Helen came A.M. and stay to dinner.  Helen is starting again at Normal.  She will stay with us a shile.  Jo Drake was buried today.  I saw Milt at Clarks  Have not seen him for years.  I get bale of alfalfa and bush corn at I.B. Mitchells.  Mostly cloudy day some light rain. P.M. all (.10).  Mort and  kate were over at night.  I write for S.R. & Co. Catalog.  Go bed 9.30

17.  Wednesday. 6 AM.  ther.  72.  82.  70.  =74 2/3
Cloudy and raining since 5. S.2.  Rhoda came to wash.  I put mare in pasture last night.     Drive up to see Tate but wait and hour and didn't.   Bill Hatton worked P.M. Harman phones and wants me to come over in morning.  I half promise to but fear roads too bad.  I drove up to Dicewood P.M>  Loping to get mess of abruptus  Met many hunters and others but find no fungi.  Very light showers P.M> with mild thunder.  Mrs. Pinnell and  Mrs. curd get some pears.   Tue gets letter from Kate Perrill.  Laura is in hospital where she has had a serious operation recently.  Tue went ofer to Goves at night.  Mostly  cloudy day varible winds.  showers.  Gobed 9.

June 11-13, 1913 in Charleston, IL

11.  Wednesday,  5.40  AM.  Ther.  44.  84.  62.  = 63 1/3
Clear.E.1.  Rhoda came early and worked till 2 P.M.  I felt poorly all day on night have gone to Loxa.  Hitch to new buggy Drove SE of town AM.  Met Steve Hall.  His farm in river bottom is suffering from drouth as bad as the uplands.  Rhoda ironed till 2 P when Tue and the girls took in hand.  I tried to write letter to Phelps regarding axles but could not get good start.  Tue  went  to prayer meet at night.  Phebe out with Ora til 10 P.M.  Clear day light easterly winds.  Gobed 9.30

12.  Thursday 5.40 AM.  Ther.  48.  88.  66.  =  67 1/3
Clear, E.1.  Get shave of Yates:  Bob Wilton there.  Harman called a few minutes at barn while was hitching up, said he called to see buggy.  Think he is fixing up scheme about hay but said nothing about it.  I would have gone to Loxa if had not felt so badly  Emmett Fritz called a while P.M.  Says will help at any time after tomorrow.  Gets iron bar.  I try to write letter to H.G. Phelps but fail.  Took Tue  and Charles out to Helens late P.M. getting home after sunset.  Clear day with light variable  winds.  Just like every day this week but drier.  The grass is like tinder.  Henry and Hat were here when we got home.  Mrs. Balch fell from Cherry tree hurting herself.  Dr. Hite and Florence Wright were married tonight.  Gobed 9.30

13.  Friday. 5.30.  AM.  Ther.  50.  90.  70.  =  70.
Clear. S.W.1.  Wrote a hasty letter to Phelps asking advice.  The program today is for me to go to Loxa and rest  of family to dinner at Helens.  I start 9 AM.  Teach Loxa 10 AM. and drove pretty well over place.  Did not meet Cliff.  He does not seem to be doing anything with the clover meadow.  It is ready to cut.  The crops are looking better than average of this season.  Talk while with Cox and start home via Loxa and S. road.  I  saw Mrs. Gaines, Retha's boy was born last Friday.  Hugh putting up fence between  Jones 5a and  our farm.  Get small sack meal of C.H. Jones and reach Helen's about 12.30.  Tue, Phebe, Marie with Charles there and were eating.  I joined them.  the Normal Grocery and adjoining residence burned  2 P.M.  I start home 4 P.M.  the rest follow on 7 P.M. car.  Tue was ordered over to at once.  Rob Mitchell called after I left.  I got home wanting some poles.  He didn't get them.  Clear day light S.W. winds quite sultry but cool night and  and morn.  Jack dog crippled and couldn't go.  Go bed 9.50