August 14, 1892 and 1903

August 1892

14.  Sunday, 6.30 AM.   Ther  59.  82.  65

Clear  N.E. wind.  Start for ranch 10.30 with old Kit.  Get there 2 P.M.  Nobody at home  Johnny and wife went up to John Simmons yesterday  I rode over to south side and to clover field  Clover not nearly ripe enough to cut for seed.  Fungi of all kinds very scarce.  Think it has been too warm The crops are looking as well as can be expected  Get home 8 oclock  The river is too high yet to ford.   Gobed  10 P.M.~~

August 1903

14.  Friday, 6 AM.   Ther,   58.79. 66.  = 67 2/3

Clear easterly wind 2.  Went up town before breakfast getting Pesto  Tue not feeling very well.  C. Talbott calls AM tying team in lot.  He got hurt a day or two ago.  Says D. Anderson has sold pony for 85.00  I decide to start to Loxa after dinner.  Get shoes at Gray's.  Start Gaines 2.00 P.M.  Jo out in cornfield cutting weeds.  Mrs. G still talking of their leaving in the fall.  She and Nell Owens went to Mattoon AM.  I took Mrs. G   out another setting of  Wyandotte eggs.   Drove down to Loxa Clarence and I investigate straw stack and I leave to him to half the good straw dividing it himself.  Tell him will charge 1.00 per mo for use of shed.  I took down two plow shares to get sharpened but McChevon closed.  the rain was general although heavy did not wash much.  Mostly clear day with easterly wind.  Roads somewhat muddy in spots.  Jack went but didnt return with me  Home 7 PM go bed 9 P,M__

  

July 5-6, 1891 and 1902 about

July 1891

5.  Sunday 7 AM.  Ther  66.  87.  66    73

Clear SE wind.  Mary Davis stayed all night with Phebe  last night Maggie with Maunie Lang.  Cecropius not doing so well especially the younger ones.  I start for timber about 5 P.M. getting there just before dark.  Chewing tobacco yesterday and today does not agree with me.  The boys have made 204 ties to date.  Warm partly cloudy day with SE wind.  gobed 930 PM 

6.  Monday ? AM.  Ther  65  86  76 = 76 2/3

Mostly clear S SE wind   John went down to truck patch dug potatoes and picked cucumbers.  R.&J. straighten up things in barn.

Harrison Handly says he will help.  hauling my rye tomorrow.  Have failed to find anyone who will thresh for me this week  I start home at 10 AM.  Getting there about (unreadable)

. . .wah today  Nicks baby sick since yesterday noon and he was at store but little today nor at night.  Mostly clear day with S. wind  go bed 10.15 PM

July 1902

5. Saturday  7 AM  Ther  66.  92.  74.  =  77 1/3

Partly cloudy SW wind  Self feeling badly all day  Did not sleep last night.  Think it was the mushroom but I ate enough trash for supper to give me cholera morbus.  It beat a big dose of pills, did not vomit.  Good crowd in town.  Mostly clear day with W. wind.  Drive down to Richters toward night collecting for load corn 20.23 paying coal to date / $2.50  These are warm days.  Corn 60 cts.  Gobed 10 P.M.

6.  Sunday  6 P.M.  ther.  75.  93.  78.  =.  82.

Partly cloudy.  Fresh SW wind. I drove to Kickapoo and around.  Observe chanterelles, Russula, and Boltus very scattered however.  Some pastures are filled with  Lepiota Morganii.  Numerous puff balls but the weather is too hot for them to be good.  There is family of movers camped near school house for past two weeks.  Old James Finch rode into town with me.  Mostly clear AM.  Thin cloudy P.M. and very sultry.  At night drove NW of town with Laura Clark and Marie.  Jack got run over by buggy.  Tue went to church with Mrs. Knock  Gobed  10 PM ~ Men work on Laundry chimney AM.

March 26-28, 1913 in Charleston, Illinois

1913

26.  Wednesday.  5.30.  AM.  Ther.  34.  32.  26.  = 30 2/3

Cloudy.  N. 3. was cold when woke up owing to no fire.  Paper did not come but got a letter from Phebe.  It began to snow heavily about 10 AM and continued.  The  report in town papers yesterday that river rising and about reached furnace fires at water works.  This morn, no pressure, no water.  It is said they are shipping water from Mattoon.  I nearly finish the coal building fire this morn.  Order load W.Bros.& G.  It came about 2 P.M. 1500 lb. Tower Hill.  P.H. didn't come A.M.  By 4 P.M. the snow is .6 in or more.  I got now paper except Courier today.  The  storms and floods have been immense all over the west worse in Ohio, Nebraska and Indiana.  The mails are all "nix" W.W. shut down by high water.  River higher than ever before.  Reported thousands of people drown in Ohio floods.  Peru, Ind., Terre Haute and mostly any where. Helen phoned evening asking how was getting along.  I ate quite hearty sup tonight.  I was unable to to P.O. but as mail, have quit fora while would have got nothing.  Gobed 9. 

27.  Thursday 5 AM.  Ther.  24.  36.  30.  = 30.

Part cloudy, N.W.4.  I got up early - house was cold.  I ate little breakfast.  Jacks appetite seems off, too.  Ray came about 7 and worked hard till 8.30 shoveling snow &c.  I sent him to P.O., no mails and to buy paper.  The storm reports are getting worse.  Thousands drowned in Ohio and Indiana and elsewhere.  Terre Haute and nearby towns about as bad as any.  There is little hands and prac(t)ically no mails.  I got today's R.H. by mail carrier   Morty phoned AM asking if I needed anything.- I didn't,.  Said would be over this eve.  I made a bread pudding and some dutch cheese, both pretty good.  Harman calls 5 P.M. for few moments only.  Reports rains have washed fields badly.  Wants his clover seed soon as possible.  I went up town soon after he left to P.O. but no mail.  Return back way slipping in without Gs knowing it.Part cloudy day, stiff NW wind- The sun cut snow good deal.  Think snow 6 inches I slept on couch till midnight to oil and went to bed.

28.  Friday. 5.30. AM.  Ther. 22.  48.  38. =36.  

Clear. SW.2.  Not much appetite this morn:  take some biscuit and milk for breakfast.  Ray came later than yesterday.  He went to P.O. again getting nothing.  I wrote to Tue which carrier takes.  Got papers that were behind this morning.  The reports from floods &c. get worse.  Ray will come tomorrow morning.  For dinner had chicken soup and biscuit   Got letter from Tue P.M. written Monday.  I went to P.O. toward night.  No mail.  Clear day, fresh southerly wind.  snow getting patchy.  I took small can chicken soup for supper.  Gobed 9.

December 15, 1912 & 1887 in Coles County, IL

1912

15.  Sunday.  7 AM.  Ther.  38.54.  36.  = 42 2/3
Clear. S.W. 3.  Tue attended the Rardin funeral and church AM getting R.H.  I straighten up books and papers.  Sort over  lot of old papers at barn.  They have been soaking in shed for several months ~~  About  4 P.M. I drove S.W. past hog farm returning by Tom Phipps place.  Would have gone farther but lost Jack.  I got home 5 P. he followed in about an hour.  Tue was over to Groves a while at night.  Clear day, moderate S.W. wind becoming westerly.  The roads are fine and smooth becoming dusty.  Hildreth and friend call us up about 11 PM to stay the night.  They were on their way from Loxa to the Normal which they are attending.  Go bed 9.

1887

15.  Thursday, 5.30  AM.  Ther.  28.  31.  31.

Went down to ties about 8 AM.  Crass does not show himself today.  Comer came about 10 AM.  Get  McKee and Savaley to help.  Comer has got  himself very much mixed up in length after and think about half of them will want sawing off.  We all quit at 4 P.M.  having got out of lengths.  Cloudy day wind W.N.W.  and fine snow flying most of forenoon.  Ther. stood little below freezing.  Went up to barber shop in evening.  We only piled about 120 ties.  Go bed  9.30 P.M.

December 4, 1912 & 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

1912

4, Wednesday.  7 A.M.  Ther.  40.  54.  50.  = 51 1/3

Fog.  Light cloudy.  A.M. out of feed except our bale hay.  I get start Loxa 10.30 A.M.  They are still putting crushed rock on north road at Carral bridge.  Mare got scared at two squirrels near Jo Reat's place and tried to run away.  I drove through Loxa but saw nobody but Ora.  Went on to west side.  Look over Sexton line.  Pick up more crab apples near W. line.  Drove into  and north on NW 40.  Harman spotted me soon  as I arrived.  We drive along NW branch.  He wants to put in some tile there on own hock.  We return to B.C. shed and from there over to  Harmans meeting Jimmy Miller.  Harman loads up sack corn for me and I start home about 3 P.M.  Preston wants to give up his claims on place and take a farm of Hardin.  Jack went eating  much of  lunch I got home 4.30 P.M.  Alfred  choring . took out ashes.  Roads moist, little mud.  Part cloudy light easterly winds.  I slept after in "den" until after 10 light rain say 9 P.M. .05.  Gobed 10.30

1887

4.  Sunday.  7 A.M.  Ther.  54.  42.  30.

Mostly clear wind S.W. getting  W or NW.  People call  good deal.  Bert and Rene* came about noon.  Did not have time to eat  much dinner.  The church was well filled and there were a good many out at the graveyard.  Hat says H.G**. is sick and he did not go out.  Kate Myers and Kate Perrill stayed with our children.  The baby (Marie)*** was very bad for awhile at night and cried constantly till 8 P.M.  John Snider^ stopped here a little while on way home.  Gobed 9 P.M.

* Fan and Tue's brother and wife.

**Charles' brother.

***(Marie)  This appears to have been added many years later.  Charles has yet to refer to Marie by her name.  He calls her baby.

^ John Snider is Fan's husband.

December 3,1912 & 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

1912

3.  Tuesday. 6.30 AM Ther.  28.  50.  46. = 41 1/3
Clear.  S. 2.  Heavy hoar frost.  Ice 3/8 in.  Walter Smith  & Company came early so that it is about as good as it was before they worked on it.  Think  it about worn out in places.  the house was very uncomfortable this morning with no fire, got a good one by  10 A.M.  Tue got letter from Buddy A.M.  was well.  Tue   getting for some church doings which occur soon.  Hitch up about noon deposit B.C. check 321.32 at 2nd.  The check was defective being  10.00 too much on the lower line.  Drive out far as Watsons toward night.  Met Eastin with Fitz.  Is now chopping ~~  The roads are some muddy - not deep.  They are still hauling crushed onto south road.  Have a light application for about half mile E. of Shannon's.  Return S. road.  Jack went.  He has swelled jaw.  Part cloudy.  Light southerly winds.  Read Borcacico at night.  Go bed 10.30~

1887

3.  Saturday.  6 A.M.  Ther.  44.  54. 55.

Cloudy and raining frost.  Pete Snider came about 5 AM for family for Fan.  Patton stopped about 8 A.M. saying Fan couldn't live wanted to see her father  Start out to Uncle John's in heavy rain, about 8.30  He came in with us but Fan was dead when we got back Uncle John and Tue went down there afternoon getting back before night.  The funeral will be tomorrow 2 P.M.  Christian Church.  Phebe had but slight croup tonight and hope she is over  with it.  Guiney paid me in full for wood $3.00.  Rain occasionally during day very heavy in forenoon, heavy at night.  Baby cried till midnight.  Kate Myer had been taking care of her today.  11 P.M. 

*Personal note- this must have been a very difficult day for my family.  Fan lived all the way out by, what is now, Lake Charleston.  That would have been a difficult ride in a buggy and heavy rain.  Tue and Charles had two sick kids at home.  My mother has always told me that babies often died in their first two years of life, so the baby being sick must have worried them a great deal.  Fan had three small children that would need cared for.   Though this happened many years ago, my heart aches for all of them.  CMS

November 21-22, 1912 in Charleston, IL

21.  Thursday.  6 A.M.  Ther.   42.   62.  42.  + 48 2/3
Clear S.S.W.2.  Mrs. Gaines phoned last night that Patrick could do the patching at Loxa house next Sunday.  Rhoda comes to wash early.  This is great weather.  Clear with southerly light winds. I got large Ostreatus (sic.) at grave yard yest.*    I get to Loxa before left some lime at Gaines for Patrick and drove up through place Old mare byit(sic.) my middle right finger and shall lose the nail.  I saw Harman and hands shucking piece S. of house.  They began on this their last piece this morn. Lost Jack and return through finding same.  Before leaving deposit ck 42.49 at 2d.  Clear day wind becomes w. and cooler.  My damaged finger kept me awake all night.  Rhoda took out the ashes today.  Go bed 9 P.M.
*I think this is fungi

22.  Friday. 6.30  AM.  Ther.  30.  58.  44. = 44
Clear. W. 1 ice 1/10.  Slept but little and about sick this morn.  get shaved at Brown's.  Mrs. Grove over to dinner.  Tue went to R.C. I hitch up about 4 P.M. drive up town and to P.O.  Tue got letter from Patrick regarding the plastering and later phones Harman concerning the same.  clear day light light westerly winds.  Harmans letter told of yesterday did not arrive He said it contained check for my share to Elevator.  Gobed 9P

November 20, 1912 & 1887 in Charleston, IL

1912

20.  Wednesday.   6 A.M.  Ther.  44.  66.  52.  = 54

Mostly clear S.W. 2.  Tue and I start to Loxa about 9 A.M.  taking Jack and no lunch.  Tue stopped to see Mrs. Gaines and Mrs. West.  We drove up to to house.  They have some thirty acres corn to shuck.  We drove over to Cliffs but would not stay to dinner.  Look at his hogs &c.  He gives me check for 42.79 for 104 50/70  bu corn bringing my half of "pond" called 3 1/2a.  After going about an hour  we get home  at 2 P.M.  Tue gets letter from Muggs at Jeff City.  She seems  to like it pretty well.  Mrs. Knock calls P.M.  Fine day with light S.S.W.  wind clear.  Tue  stirs up old afcs at night and reads an hour or two from this book.  Gobed 8.30 P.M.  We stop at cemetery returning.

1887

20.  Sunday.  6.30 A.M.  Ther.  10.  28.  17.

Clear.  Waterworks froze up in house  also out doors.  Went up to store after breakfast for Doc Dunbar some corn.  Peel lot of  quinces and sweet apples which Tue cooks after dinner.  Got  mare out about 3 P.M.  Took Tue drive round town awhile.  Baby has a bad cold. from yesterday.  Gobed 9.30~~