January 5, 1892 and 1903 in Coles County, IL

January 1892 

Charles 50, Tue 36, Margaret 14, Phebe 12, Marie 5.

5.  Tuesday.  7AM.  Ther  18.  27.  23.  =  22 2/3

Cloudy E. wind.  Enloe took another small load of lumber and paid me for all.  Maurice Burgner has got his 500 posts and will pay me soon.  Tue went to Dick Norfolks funeral P.M. He died yesterday at house here.  Brownfield straightened up posts after dinner.  have on hand 165  Many of them culls.  I put up roosts for hens in the hog pen and Tue and self caught them and put them in there after supper. I fell and hurt my foot so could hardly get around.  We have 37 hens and roosters and 4 ducks.  Cloudy day E wind AM moving gradually around toward N. a little NNE at night and very light fine snow after 9 P.M barely covering the ground.  My foot hurt so I had chill about 10PM.  Gobed midnight.

January 1903

Charles 61, Tue 47, Margaret 25, Phebe 23, Marie 16

5. Monday.  6 AM  Ther.  25. 28.  25  =  26

Cloudy, N wind.  Maggie gets ready and starts for Champaign on 11.15 train.  About 3 in. heavy snow on ground.  It fell in night probably after midnight.   Nick Smith says Garrison sold out and purchaser again sold but I have not verified report.  Mostly cloudy day with NW wind.  Phebe sick at night self about sick.  Quitting use of tobacco feels worse than usual.  Snow remains on ground.  This snow was exactly like one a week ago.  Gobed 9 PM

Dec 13-31,1901 and Jan 1-5, 1902 in Charleston, IL (Highlights)

December 1901

Love boy begins carry wood evenings after school.

13.  Friday.  6.30 AM.  Ther 52.  40.  20.  = 37 1/3

Cloudy and raining southwind.  Rain began about midnight or after being in light showers.  Thunder about 8 AM.  Sign of moderate weather to come.  Rain all day wind getting north P.M.  With sleet after dark.  Spent long time today sorting papers and looking for Shirleys old lease which I didn't find.  Was up town toward night getting home 6 P.M.  Gobed  10 PM

14.  Saturday.  5 AM.  Ther  -2.  0.  -8.  = -3 1/3
Trim covered with with ice drops: Chickens about frozen.  We have 8 or 10 chickens.
Cloudy early but clears off.  The storm quit in night   Strong north wind all day.  It was the worst storm we have had in years and the first  cold wind we have had this season.  Perhaps two or two and a half inches of snow fell.  I spent most of day with furnace which had to run full capacity to keep house warm..  

15.  Sunday.  6 AM.  Ther. -12.  4.  -2  =  -3 1/3
I water and feed about noon.  Have been feeding horses but twice a day before cold spell.

16.  Monday

17.  Tuesday
Garrison says water pipe froze up back part of store.

18.  Wednesday
Warren  and Simons call and I pay Warren check for gray horse $80.00.

NOTE:  For 19-23 just posted day and temps.  Other days below are the same or posted very little.

19.  Thursday. -11.  4,  -4  =  -3 2/3

20.  Friday,  -11. 4,  -4  = -3 2/3

21.  Saturday

22.  Sunday

23.  Monday

24.  Tuesday,  
Drive out to Loxa P.M.  find Jo sick and Mrs. G gone to Loxa.  Took presents to children.  

25.  Wednesday  -  send some quinine tablets to Jo AM.

26. Thursday

27.  Friday

28.  Saturday.

29. Sunday   Karl Love still carries up wood and coal.  Miss Ford came home last night 2 AM.

30.  Monday
Pay Chambers and Linden in full $3.00 chk.  Marie has function at night.

31.  Tuesday.
I start out to Gaines 9. AM. but  came back and start again 10.30 AM.

January 1902

Anticipate trouble with Shirley this season.

1. Wednesday.  6 AM.  Ther.  24.  40.  34.  =  32 2/3

Clear.  Easterly wind.  Self not feeling pretty well.  Go up town 10 AM.  Go up town 10 A.M.  Shave Frank May.  Pay a/c at Paynes drug store, check to date: , $7.10  Stores generally closed P.M.  Banks and PO all day.  Mostly clear day with E To S wind.  No signs of cold or stormy weather.  Didn't hitch up horse today.  Mort and Kate over at night  gobed 8.30 P.M.

2.  Thursday  6.15 AM.  Ther.  38.  36.  26.  =  33 1/3  Mostly clear.  Brisk SW wind.

3.  Friday. say 6.30 AM.  Ther  11.  20.  14.  =  15.

4.   Saturday say 630 AM.   Ther.  8.  29.  18.  = 18 1/3

5.  Sunday.  7. AM.  Ther.  14.  35.  25  = 24.

April 10-13, 1889 in Coles County Illinois

April 1889

10.  Wednesday.  5.45  AM  Ther.  40.  70.  52. =  54.

Clear smoky.  Bought fish pole and stopped on way to timber to fish a little, no good.  Called at  RR office to find that they do need piling  Got to wood at 11 AM.  Hitch mare  on ridge where boys are working and stay with them most of day.  

11.  Thursday.  5.45 AM.  Ther.  55.  76.  65.  =  65 1/3

Clear Start pretty early.  Hitch in mid'll (sic) hallow forenoon.  Decide to quit building  wood fence.  Boys clean out fence row to Handley's live and then south to meet other cleaning mark two or three weeks ago.  wind south and threatening rain.   Light P.M. about  5.30.  John and Os work in old clearing burning remains of log heaps  Get home at 8.15.  Mrs. Perrill and Kate over in evening.  Hugh has been at home since lat week since last week.  Gobed  9.30 AM.

12.  Friday.  5.45 AM.  ther.  65.  78.  58. = .67

Clear or nearly so.  Started for timber.  7.45 got horses shoes taken off.  Meet John Hanley at talking gate, get to woods at 10 AM.  John and Os finish up old clearing and clean out  road round Hurricane Handley's fence.  Os  went to Kinks and got saw.   Boys  clearing west of house.   Find fox den in hills west of house.  Got home at  8.30.  Meet Milt Drake, says he will start in morning for the home in timber.  Decide to work no more until after city election which comes off next Tuesday.  Horse fell on way home breaking harness.  Gobed 10 P.M. Sp rain  abt. Norm Gets cooler.  Warm day very strong winds  from s. varing to SW W + N.W.

13.  Saturday.  6 AM.  Ther.  54.  58.  48.  =  52 2/3

Cloudy growing cooler.  The gang mostly up for pay.  Went down to tie pile.  Warren says he has hauled 118 and will quit  Jack Handley  has been hauling for two or three days.  Went down to R.R. toward night counting up ties. 486 Tallying exactly with haulers count.  Crass went down with me.  Met Kink going home  He was pretty ful.  Pay Jack Handly in full for 49 ties hauled.  Milt Drake started for timber with his "things"  Wants me to take Mrs. Drake and children down Monday.  Tue buys  6 chickens of Mrs. Davis.  Chilly day mostly cloudy east wind 9.30 PM

September12, 1912 in Charleston, Illinois

12,  Thursday,  5.30 AM.  Ther.  50.  76. 60.  = 62.
Clear.  N.E.2  We are pasturing all neighbor chickens.  It is too cold without fire.  We have to stand it.  Saw Cottingham again AM.  Says furnace repairs shipped and likely to reach us any time.  We can't have fire in furnace until they come.  Tue ironing AM.  She attends concert at church with Mrs. Card at night.  Mostly clear day With moderate northerly wind.  I drive after 4 P.M.  going out out by Latta's and on past Slab and home by Helen's.  They are putting in concrete bridge S. of Noble place.  Think they have finished grading at Cassell near Big Four  R.R.  They have done good job.  Got home before dark.  All roads are good; becoming dusty.  Gobed 9 P.M.

September 11, 1912 in Charleston, IL

11,  Wednesday,   6 AM.  Ther.  66, 86, 66.  = 72 2/3
Clear. N.2.  Rhoda came to wash, also at other work.  She stayed til dinner.  I feel poorly all day.  Hitch but did not get out till about supper time.  Drove down to Emmetts to find  him working in country at B.C.  Bert's Helen here  while.  Js attending Normal.  I got short letter from Muggs nothing important.  Neighbor chickens annoy us very much.  This  coolest day for two weeks.  Probably ends our hot weather.  Mostly clear.  Brisk N. winds.  Tue attends prayer meet night.  Jack dog went with her.  Nay Rheumatism very much.  Gobed 8 P.M.