October 9, 1889 and 1900 in Charleston, Illinois

October 1889

9.  Wednesday 7 AM.  Ther.  40.  70  47  = 52 1/3

Clear No frost.  Tom Houghton drummer here.  Buy stove of Main mfg Co and get it set up $11.00  Milt nor Warren up today.  The electric light will start about Saturday night.  They fixed up their engine today for first time  Good many people gone to St. Louis fair this week.  Father has caught heavy cold.  Go bed  11PM

October 1900

9.  Tuesday.  4 AM.  Ther  37.  66  50  =  51

Clear probably white frost not the first.  Start for ranch abour 8 AM.  Meet Simons and Warren with wood.  They report Brown as sowing rye.  Lucy would not let little Johnny go with me to open gates.  Gave Will Decker,  Wyeth and Hardin bill.  He says  they will begin sawing it today.   Cross river at Handly ford.  Take Val Handly's wife and child across river.  Went round by Replogles get home  bout 1 P.M.  Mrs. Owens washed.  We hear from N W U that Phebe is likely to stay .  Armstrong  delivers BC to Matter having sold it for 80.00  My share - one third was $153.~  Start for Loxa 5 P.M.  quite chilly get there just as they were getting supper.    Play seven up a while at night clear day with northerly wind.  Jo still grubbing.  Gobed 9.30

July 11-27, 1889 in Charleston, Illinois (highlights)

July 1889

11.  Thursday

Get pair of cheap shoes at Mitchells.  Green drummer in town, but didn't buy anything.  

12.  Friday

Mrs. Rogers washed bed clothes.

13.  Saturday

Uncle John was down to dinner.  Snider returned from Indianapolis where he had been to take cattle.  Drummer from Toledo is in town.  Trade is good, best day we have had so far.  

14.  Sunday

Heavy thunder shower.  Town branch is higher than for years, a foot or more higher than on June 8.  Phebe gets blackberry on new dress.

15.  Monday.

Uncle John in town on way to Snider's to help thrash, left some with me to deposit for him.  Mrs. Davis helping Tue sew in PM.

16.  Tuesday.

Crass washes buggy.

17,   Wednesday.

I clean up harness and had some repairs made on it.

18.  Thursday.  

Baseball game today between Kansas and Charleston.  Charleston  2nd best.  

19.  Friday.

Subscribe for  "Hanacasion"  for G. Bros for 4 months

20. Saturday, 

Maggie is thinking more drawing lessons of Miss Johnston.  Rode with Tue toward night storm drove us in before dark.

21.  Sunday.

22.  Monday

H.G. washes up lot of flasks.  Maggie began taking drawing lessons of Miss Johnson.

23.  Tuesday.

Bert in town afternoon bought himself a new buggy and harness.   

24,  Wednesday.

Drummers numerous this week.   M & Ph went to Martha Davis birthday party today.   Self not very head ache. (sic)  Sent for  some pericals(sic) for Maggie.  

25.  Thursday.

Tue went out to Uncle John's with Mrs. Davis  starting about 10 AM. took baby.  Girls spend day a Davis.  Tue got home before night.  Try on coat at Winters.  Tue left me to bake batch of bread.  Learn that Calvert died recently at St. Joe MO.

26.  Friday 6 AM  Ther.  71.  91.  66.  =  78.

Cloudy.  Start to timber at 8 AM. via _______ Handley ford.  Very oppressive (?) and flies troublesome  River just ran over top of buggy bad in crossing, R. Decker the only man at work.   Thunder shower began about 12.30 PM  met Milt .  He brought up wood  Sam Adams took 46 posts this morning.  Go bed 10.15 PM.

27.  Saturday.  7 AM.  Ther.   72.  91.  78.  =  80 1/3

Clear hazy.  Pleasant day Receipts largest we have had.  Uncle John in town says he will go with me to look for sheep after a while.  Milt did not come up, roads bad.  D. H. Calvert was buried  today.  Breed mare to Dr. Montgomery's horse.  Sam Adam pays me for 86 posts $5.76 ?  Go bed 10.30 

July 1-5, 1889 in Charleston, IL

July 1889

1.  Monday.  6 AM.  Ther.  78.  95.  78.  =  83 2/3

Mostly clear AM. some cloudy P.M. with thunder no rain here.  Milt up with load of wood which he sold to Susie Evans.  Says  had heavy rain there last evening.  Sam Ray says he want several  cords more of wood.   Trade fair: buy collar for Bill horse at Skidmore's charged to Uncle John.  Gobed 10.30 P.M.

2.  Tuesday.  6.30 AM.  Ther.  80.  90.  75.  =  81 2/3

Mostly clear AM.  Wind S.W.  Drake in P.M. with wood for Sam Ray, I rode over with him for as F. Johnstons new house.  Heavy  cloudy from S.W. toward night with a little rain here.  It rained slowly an hour or two in night.  Today I paid F. Knock 10.35 Geo Chambers 12.60  G. Hibbert 10.50 for insurance on house all in full.  Remit Du(?) in full 101.50  Gobed.  10.15 PM

3.  Wednesday. 6.30 AM  Ther.  75.  80.  64.  =  73.

Cloudy and raining.  Intended to start early for ranch but for rain.  Light showers all morning started at 9 AM. in rain.  Went via Hadley's ford.  Walker's ford washed out and  impassible.  Milt and self made a gate in P.M.  Got home about 7 P.M.  Forded the river today first time in nearly six weeks it has been up since last of May.  Phebe began taking lessons on piano today of Miss Kennedy.    Trade pretty good but few in from country.  Gobed 10.15 P.M.  N. wind P.M.

4.  Thursday. 6.30  A.M.  Ther.  68.  75.  61.  =  68.

Clear, wind N.  They could not raise money enough to celebrate here today.  Many were going to Terre Haute others to Oakland.  The band went to Tuscola  Uncle John was in P.M.  trade pretty fair considering good many country people in.  Stores nearly all closed all day.  H.G. blows off in P.M.  Ben Spence here for a day or two see Charley Perrill  Gobed 10.15 PM.~

5.  Friday.  6.45  AM.  Ther.  70.  80.  62.  =  70 2/3

Clear S.E. wind.  Get hinges for screen door at store.  E. Drunway here.  Pay Tooke $26.45 dues on ten shares of loan stock just taken out.  Buy new knife at Millers also scythe blade.  Cut my thumb on scythe.  Trade pretty good  gobed 10.30

November 19 - 30, 1888 in Coles County Illinois (Highlights)

November 1888

19.  Monday.  - Tue went over to Perrill's toward night.  Mary Perrill arrived home with her two children last week.  Sat up and read Century till 10 PM.

20.  Tuesday. Trying to find some one to work  on stable but couldn't.  Went to work myself in PM.

21.  Wednesday. 6 AM.  Trying to find help on stable.

22.  Thursday. Mr.  Chowning came early and worked all day.  He charges $1.50 per day and suits very well, today he put all the flooring I had down in the loft and got his stairs well started.

23.  Friday.  Men and boys working on stable.

24.  Saturday.  Hat was here to dinner and all PM.  Tue moved sideboard into kitchen.

25.  Sunday.  Went to timber by Handley's  Ford.  Tue had company to dinner, Laura , husband and children.  Tue churned all the evening and butter didn't come.

26.  Monday.  Maggie broke my thermometer this morning and I had to buy another.    Maggie did not go to school.  Stable work.

27.  Tuesday.  Stable work.

28.  Wednesday.  Came near having an accident with gasoline this morning from getting hold of the wrong can.  Johnny Decker called.

29.  Thursday.  6AM.  Ther.  38.   42.  38.

Cloudy, misty. N. wind.  Thanksgiving day.  Cloudy all day with fine rain or snow at times.  Chowning works on E side of building.  Easton brings (?) load of wood and takes two loads down to Laggert.  Pay Brownfield 2.75 bal due for labor.  Pay O. Martin 10.18 for 2490 lb. hay.  Tue over to Perrills toward night.  10 PM.

30.  Friday, 6 AM.  Ther  35.  38.  37.

Cloudy and damp.  Chowning worked all day putting band round stable fitted windows. and boxed up stairway.  Light snow fog or rain by turns all day.  Tue and children  over to Myers to dinner.  Learn that Prof. Lee died a day  or  two ago.  Wrote letter to W.H. White inquiring about R.R. ties.  Cloudy all day NW. wind.  Gobed 8 PM.  

October 12-16, 1888 in Charleston, IL

October 1888

12.  Friday.  6 AM.  47.  62..  50.  

Cloudy rain in night  not enough to wet the make mud.  Got some things up at room and over store.  John Parker says will repair buggy seat for 75c.   Father has been sawing wood lately.  Riley Eastin called to settle paid him 6.00 which is  nearly all I owe him.  He has made nearly ten thousand boarsd for me.  Snider brought us a can of sweet cider.  Help Tue at night with her tomatoes.  Rec prices of seeds from AD Co.  Cloudy most of day cooler PM  Go bed 10 PM.

13.  Saturday.  6 AM.  Ther.   43.  65  50.
Partly cloudy N.W. wind.  Post up books in morning.  Pay up Jim Decker in full.   Grand Democratic rally today.  Big crowd in town not all democrats   (?) Uncle John and Bert were down to dinner.  Cooper paid 4.00 on his wood instead of 8.00 as promised.  Buy steak at Bill Meyers on Cr 20.   Laura and her family were here at night.  Phebe and baby both sore throat.  Gobed 10 PM.

14.  Sunday.  7 AM.  Ther.  45.  60.  54.
Clear.  The girls did not go to Sunday School.  Had dinner at 2.30 P.M.  Went out to Uncle John toward night getting home before dark all the children have bad colds.  Go bed 9 P.M.

15.  Monday. 6 AM.  Ther.  51.  62.  50.
Cloudy.  Light rain good part of night .  Write to Wheatly about timothy seed, but before night buy all I want of Geo Wyth @1.85  Got M Miller to put extension on back chimmny at store to stop smoking.   Went to look at  F Knocks Stable in P.M.  Phebe had cold stays home from school.  Light rain fore noon clear off PM.  Gobed 9 PM

16.  Tuesday.  5.45 AM.  Ther.  50.  63.  48.
Clear.  Road somewhat muddy.  J.R. Haddocks rides with me part of the way.  Lost my whip, but got it at night.    Boys work at poling and staking fence.  Bob not at home.  Storm comes up about 3 P.M.  Much wind down there and very little rain.  Heavy rain and hail uptown.  Came home by Handley's ford road dry  down then muddy.  Near town two or three day.  Phebe went to school got caught in rain.  Gobed 9.30

April 7, 1913 and 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

1913

7.  Monday.  5.15.  Ther.  34.  48.  42.  =41 1/3
Clear.  E.2.  Soon clouds up.  Roy came 7 AM.  Get mare shod at Dibert.  Jethoo  Evans phones that my Perkins lot is eligible for PO site.  He calls later.  I ask 120 0 dollars for my lot.  Jethro 4000.  Glascos 5.000.  The Paris man has not reported theron.  Says  will employ Cafer to arrange matters.   Can't find key to box* deeds and try unsuccessfully for hour or two  to open it  think Tue has same.  Get letter  from Buddy AM date 4 inst.  Roy spades for three rows of potatoes and after we began to plant them.  It began light  rain at noon and continued  (too light to read) We  quit at 2  P a/c the rain.  Roy and self plant one row potatoes and rain stopped us at 2 PM.  Jethro Evans came again toward night and I sign contract with him and JW Glasco to sell my part of S.W. 1/4 of block for P.O.  building putting in hands of Judge Cafer at 2% com on purchase price.  Pay Evans 2.00 my share plat.  Tue got home about 6 P.M. having been gone since May 21.  Morty came over soon after she arrived but did not stay long.  Mostly cloudy with strong easterly and light rain at times mixed with hail most of P.M.  Gobed 9 P.M.

*I have this old tin box full of legal papers.I have always wondered why there is just a hole where the lock and latch should be.  Now I know the story of the Deed Box.  This is what is so fun about the journal, it answers many questions.

1888

7.  Saturday.  6 AM.  Ther.  37.  65?  50
Clear.  Very heavy dew nearly frost.  Took Sam, Ray's white pony and ride down to R.R. then down to timber getting back at 7.30 P.M.  About as tired as could be.  Caught more cold.  Saw the timber pretty thoroughly today.  Kinks ties suit me pretty well.    Wes Decker gives us leave to move in his fence to get to road out.  Told him he could have all the wood he needed.  The saw mill has moved out.  I went by  Handly Ford and return by Walker's.  Gobed 9.30 P.M.

May 30, 1912 and 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

100 Years Ago

Thursday, May 30, 1912    5.30 AM.  Ther. 56. 74. 58. = 62

Cloudy, N.2.  Tue and I drove out to cemetery 10 AM taking a few flowers which we distributed among the graves.  Flowers are not plentiful this year.  Big crowd at cemetery.  We drove out to  Helens getting home before noon getting some butter and eggs of Helen.  We did not go out in P.M.  Late I drove out by Latta's returning by Helen's.  They have put in a temporary bridge over Cassell Creek near Big 4 RR preliminary to building new cement bridge.  Tue over to Brooks at night.  Part clear day.  Moderate N to variable winds.  Go bed 10.

125 Years Ago

Monday, May 30, 1887    6.30 AM.  Ther  58. 73.?  58

Cloudy and light rain.  Thunder shown in the night.  Start for timber about 9 AM.  Roads very muddy part of the way.  Got to Milt's after 11oc. after he got his dinner we drove up to Hanleys.  He gave his consent for us to drive with lumber through his place.  Left Milt at Handley ford and got home about ?PM. quite a shower fell while coming home.  Kate Davis here to supper.  Find that ants have been destroying a good many of my worms.  A little coal oil put near their track seems to stop them.  Went up to P. McGurtys place after supper to consult with other fellows about license on a vote on license which will (?) at council meeting Thursday night.  Go bed 10 PM.  Got osage from Handley's hedge.